Over 200,000 Kenmore and Frigidaire Stoves Recalled—They May Cause a Fire or Burn You

I am one of those people who obsessively checks to see if the stove is turned off. Sometimes I leave the house and think, Did I turn the stove off? Surely I turned the stove off. Then it haunts me until I arrive home later and see that it is, in fact, off. This all stems from the time a college roommate left the stove on all night with a pan of half-eaten tomato sauce on top. I woke to find a completely ruined pan and a heavy thankfulness to be alive.

So when the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of stoves, I took notice and ran to see what kind of stove I own—I recommend that you do the same. Electrolux is recalling about 203,000 electric ranges. The recalled brands included are Frigidaire and Kenmore, and only the electric smooth-top freestanding ranges are affected.

The recall was issued because, “depending on the model, the surface heating elements can: 1) turn on spontaneously without being switched on; 2) fail to turn off after being switched off; or 3) heat to different temperatures than selected. This poses fire and burn hazards to consumers.”

Yikes. My worst fears were confirmed. This recall announcement includes Frigidaire, Frigidaire Gallery, Frigidaire Professional, and Kenmore Elite smooth-top electric ranges that were sold nationwide between June 2001 and August 2009. The models have rear panel rotary knobs and digital displays and are sold in black, white, bisque, and stainless steel.

To find the model and serial number for your unit, open the drawer at the bottom and look inside the frame. The following model numbers are being recalled:

• Frigidaire: FEFBZ90GC*, FEFLMC55GC*, FEFLZ87GC*, GLEF396AB*, GLEF396AQ*, GLEF396AS*, GLEF396CQ*, GLEF396CS*, GLEFM397DB*, GLEFM397DQ*, GLEFM397DS*, GLEFM97FPB*, GLEFM97FPW* (Serial Number Range VF122xxxxx – VF936xxxxx), GLEFM97GPB*, GLEFM97GPW*, LEEFM389FE*, PLEF398AC*, PLEF398CC*, PLEF398DC*, PLEFM399DC*, PLEFMZ99EC*, PLEFMZ99GC*, PLEFZ398EC*, PLEFZ398GC*
• Kenmore Elite: 790.990121*, 790.990131*, 790.990141* ( Serial Number Range VF122xxxxx – VF334xxxxx), 790.990191*

What To Do If You Have the Recalled Product at Home

If you own one of these stoves, do not leave anything on the range when it is not in use. Contact Electrolux as soon as possible; eligible units will be repaired whenever possible. If the range is not repairable, eligible consumers will receive a $50 electronic gift card refund and reimbursement of up to $60 for haul away of the affected stove.

To participate in the recall, call the Electrolux Group toll-free at 888-845-8226 from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday; by email at [email protected]; or online. Based on the serial number, it will be determined if consumers have a range that can be repaired or not.