NHTSA Campaign 10E049000 — NORCOLD 1210 9999 EQUIPMENT

NORCOLD IS RECALLING CERTAIN GAS ABSORPTION REFRIGERATORS WHICH ARE SOLD FOR APPLICATION IN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES. NORCOLD HAS RECALLED MODELS 1200AC, 1200ACIM, 1200LR, 1200LR, 1200LRIM, AND 1201LRIM UNDER PREVIOUSLY ISSUED RECALLS IDENTIFIED AS 02E-045, 08E-030, 09E-026, AND 09E-027. THESE RECALLS COVERED COOLING UNITS INSTALLED ON THE 1200 SERIES PRODUCT MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 1996 THROUGH DECEMBER 2002. RECALLS 08E-030, 09E-026, AND 09E-027 INVOLVED THE INSTALLATION OF A THERMAL SWITCH ON THE COOLING UNITS MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 1996 THROUGH DECEMBER 2002. WITH THE ACTION TAKEN WITH THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN, NORCOLD IS EXTENDING A RECALL OF ALL 1200, 1201, 1210, AND 1211 MODELS TO INCLUDE UNITS PRODUCED FROM JANUARY 1, 2003, TO OCTOBER 6, 2010, WITH COOLING UNIT MODELS WITH COOLING UNIT SERIAL NUMBERS FROM 700000 TO 13085759, NON CONSECUTIVELY. THE POPULATION OF REFRIGERATORS BEING ADDRESSED CONTAINS EITHER A SENSING ALGORITHM OR A THERMAL SWITCH TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A POTENTIAL FIRE. NORCOLD HAS NOW DECIDED THE RESPONSE TIMES OF THE SENSOR ALGORITHM AND THERMAL SWITCH DEVICES TO STOP POWER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT.

AN INSUFFICIENT RESPONSE TIME CAN RESULT IN POWER NOT BEING SHUT-OFF IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO PREVENT A FIRE.

NORCOLD WILL NOTIFY RECREATIONAL VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS, DEALERS, SERVICE CENTERS, AND VEHICLE OWNERS OF THE HAZARD AND OFFER A FREE REMEDY TO PREVENT TEMPERATURE ELEVATION THAT COULD ALLOW A FIRE. THE REMEDY IS TO AFFIX A THERMOCOUPLE, WITH A FASTER RESPONSE TIME, TO ALL REFRIGERATORS WITH A SENSING ALGORITHM OR A THERMAL SWITCH. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 19, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD AT 1-800-767-9101 OR THEIR VEHICLE MANUFACTURER.

THIS RECALL SUPERSEDES RECALL CAMPAIGNS 02E-045, 08E-030, 09E-026, AND 09E-027.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .