Dometic Refer Recall - Possible Fire Hazard -Update 2/13/07

[MELM]

Click here to go directly to Updates.
Update Number 1 Nov 23, 2006
Update Number 2 Dec 5, 2006
Update Number 3 Jan 10, 2007
Update Number 4 Jan 19, 2007 - Recall Instructions - click here: Dometic Recall You need your model and serial numbers.
Update Number 5 Feb 13, 2007 - Added links to new info on the NHTSA website including the info/form for claiming reimbursement for a failure. These are at the end of the post below where all the updates are posted.

Also, edited the below Recall to include the change made prior to the Dec 5 update showing the proposed remedy.

Below is information from the NHTSA website on a recall of certain Dometic refrigerators. This recall is in its very early stages, and there is no resolution in place as of Nov 1, 2006.

From the NHTSA website:

Dometic Recall NHTSA Campaign ID 06E076000

Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
DOMETIC / NDR1062 9999
DOMETIC / RM2652 9999
DOMETIC / RM2662 9999
DOMETIC / RM2663 9999
DOMETIC / RM2852 9999
DOMETIC / RM2862 9999
DOMETIC / RM3662 9999
DOMETIC / RM3663 9999
DOMETIC / RM3862 9999
DOMETIC / RM3863 9999

Manufacturer : DOMETIC CORPORATION

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 06E076000 Mfg's Report Date : AUG 28, 2006

Component: EQUIPMENT: RECREATIONAL VEHICLE

Potential Number Of Units Affected : 926877

Summary:
CERTAIN DOMETIC TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATORS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN APRIL 1997 AND MAY 2003: SERIAL NOS.
713XXXXX THROUGH 752XXXXX;
801XXXXX THROUGH 852XXXXX;
901XXXXX THROUGH 952XXXXX;
001XXXXX THROUGH 052XXXXX;
101XXXXX THROUGH 152XXXXX;
201XXXXX THROUGH 252XXXXX;
301XXXXX THROUGH 319XXXXX,
INSTALLED IN CERTAIN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND SOLD AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT. A FATIGUE CRACK MAY DEVELOP IN THE BOILER TUBE WHICH MAY RELEASE A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.

Consequence:
THE RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy:
THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES THAT HAD THE REFRIGERATORS INSTALLED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND DOMETIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF THE AFTERMARKET REFRIGERATORS. DOMETIC WILL INSTALL A SECONDARY BURNER HOUSING FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN BETWEEN APRIL AND JUNE 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC AT 888-446-5157.

Notes:
CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

The following is extracted from the notice provided by Dometic to the NHTSA dated 8/26/06:

The potential defect is associated with cooling unit at the back of the refrigeration cabinet.

A fractional percentage of the potentially affected refrigerators have experienced a fatigue crack that may develop in the boiler tube in the area of the weld between the boiler tube and the heater pocket. A fatigue crack may release a sufficient amount of pressurized coolant solution into an area where an ignition source (gas flame) is present. Dometic's investigation has shown that a simulated release of cooling solution (refrigerant) in the area of the boiler, under certain conditions, could be ignited by the presence of an open flame. A boiler fatigue crack with the loss of cooling solution without ignition would result in a non-operational refrigerator that is not a safety issue. Under certain conditions, the released coolant could ignite and result in a fire. In order to have a fire, at a minimum, all of the following conditions must exist:

1. The refrigerator must be on and normally operating and gas burner must be lit;
2. 'There must be an oversized heating element in the refrigerator;
3. The boiler tube must develop a throughway fatigue crack of a
specific size;
4. There must be a release of the cooling solution at a rate which will
allow the accumulation of the cooling solution at a concentration within its range of flammability; and
5. There must be ignition source (gas flame) present.

If any of these conditions are not present, a release of the cooling solution will not result in a fire.

In April of 1997 Dometic modified the design of the affected refrigerators by increasing the wattage of the heating element from 325 watts to 354 watts. All production of the affected units from April 1997 through May of 2003 utilized the 354 watt heating element. In May of 2003, in order to improve the operating life of the refrigerators, Dometic returned to the use of the 325 watt heating element which it continues to use today. It is now believed that the use of the higher wattage heater contributed to abnormal fatigue in the boiler tube.

The products in question are all refrigerators used in the original manufacture of recreation vehicles or as replacement equipment for recreation vehicles. The total population of refrigerators potentially containing the defect is 926,877. Dometic estimates a potential maximum incident rate of 0.01% related to boiler fatigue cracks that leak and may result in a fire. There have been no incidents of injury or death related to the affected population of Dometic refrigerators.

Dometic became aware of the occurrence of fires which may have involved their products and retained an independent engineering testing laboratory to fully evaluate and investigate any potential defect in their refrigerators which might result in a fire. A number of returned units were analyzed and microscopic fatigue cracks which could release coolant into the area of the burner were identified in the boiler tube metal in the area of the weld between the heater pocket and boiler tube. Tests simulating the cracks were conducted the week of August 18, 2006 and confirmed a possible cause of fire in the refrigerators under certain conditions. These test results prompted the preparation of this notice.

Dometic continues to gather information on the potential defect and will forward additional relevant information as it becomes available.

Dometic has not yet identified a proposed remedy for the potential defect. Dometic will continue a testing program designed to identify and evaluate possible remedies. This evaluation will take place both in the United States and in Sweden. Once a remedy has been identified, Dometic will initiate or participate in a remedy campaign initiated by the original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers who have purchased, sold, and distributed these products. A list of original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers to whom Dometic has sold the potentially defective refrigerators is being prepared and will be provided to the NHTSA upon its
completion.

The following is extracted from the NHTSA response on 9/18/06:

Please provide the following additional information and be reminded of the following requirements:

Dometic must provide an estimated dealer notification date as well as an owner notification date including the day, month, and year. You are required to submit a draft owner notification letter to this office no less than five days prior to mailing it to the customers. Also, copies of all notices, bulletins, dealer notifications, and other communications that relate to this recall, including a copy of the final owner notification letter and any subsequent owner follow-up notification letter(s), are required to be submitted to this office no later than 5 days after they are originally sent (if they are sent to more than one manufacturer, distributor, dealer, or purchaser/owner).

Dometic must file a sample of the envelope which you intend to use to mail the recall notice to owners. The words "SAFETY", "RECALL", "NOTICE" in any order must be printed on the envelope in larger font than the customers name and address.

[Paul_G_]

Watthour wrote:
Maybe the owners affected by this recall and proposed remedy should voice their concern to NHTSA. I always run my refrigerator on AC current when available,and would like to continue to do the same.

I think if someone here can draft a decent letter, that it would serve us all well, to copy and send it to NHTSA. Anyone care to take on the task? Maybe two or three could write a draft wherein we could choose or combine them.

Paul....

[Watthour]

Paul G. wrote:
The fix they have proposed does not impress me at all.

DOMETIC WILL INSTALL A SECONDARY BURNER HOUSING FREE OF CHARGE

It appears they are putting a Band-Aid on it versus fixing it.
Paul....

Maybe the owners affected by this recall and proposed remedy should voice their concern to NHTSA. I always run my refrigerator on AC current when available,and would like to continue to do the same.

Watthour
2001 SunnyBrook 27FKS

[Grillmeister]

Thanks Chris, that makes a lot more sense now.

[Chris_Bryant]

I should have chimed in about serial numbers- the way Dometic does serial numbers is the first number is the year, the next two numbers are the week, and the remaining numbers are the numbers for that week- IOW, 4253407 would be the 3407th product built in the 25th week of 2004 (or 1994, or 1984, but the products take care of decades).
Every product Dometic builds goes in to that numbering system, so even air conditioners would have serial numbers in the affect S/N range.
Heck- I even have a Dometic serial number ;).

[Texans]

Thank You Grillmeister, our model is not listed but serial is in the range, breathing better for now. Richard 🙂

[Grillmeister]

I got through to a representative at Dometic this morning, I was reluctantly transferred a couple times. The only way I was able to convince them to connect me to someone regarding the recall was to tell them I would post the information on the RV.NET Forum and possibly save them a few hundred phone calls. I was finally connected to a gentleman by the name of Brad Sergeant, I explained the question about either being on the model number list and not the serial number list or on the serial number list and not the model number list.

He said you have to be on BOTH lists to be involved in the recall. I asked since my unit was on the serial number list but not the model number list they must use the same concurrent serial numbers on different models, he said yes they do.

I might also add that everyone I spoke to did not seem very happy discussing the topic.

Hope this helps.

[Grillmeister]

I found this post in the Class A forum, I think it answers my question.

K&K wrote:
tthomas32 wrote:

I have a stupid question.
My refrigerator model number is NDR1292 which is not listed but my serial numbaer is 21100192 which I assume is included in the summary
(201XXXXX THROUGH 252XXXXX).
Does this mean my unit is included in this problem?

Ted


We also have the refrigerator with model number NDR1292. In August while drycamping, our refrigerator quit and there was a strong smell of amonia. Subsequently had to have the cooling unit replaced in a 3 year old fridge.

Husband finally received a call back from a person at Dometic. Said he was sorry, but it was not the same problem as the recall, and out model number (NDR1292) was not included in the recall even though ours was included in the serial numbers.

Hope this answers some questions as to this recall. According to the gentleman from Dometic, the potential only affects a "few" refrigerators and they still don't know what they are going to do.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ken & Kathy Fisk
2003 Tropical T370
2003 Saturn Toad
Fulltimers
We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.

[Grillmeister]

I just stumbled onto this topic. My fridge was replaced in August of 2002 so I checked mine and I have the same question as a couple others but it's too late to call Dometic until Monday.

My model number is NOT on the list but the serial number is. So is my unit affected?

Another person asked a couple times with no response "If your model is listed, but not your serial number, is the refrigerator o.k."

My thinking is that both of us are not affected.

Anyone called to find out for sure?

PS Mine says 2.5 amps inside and 3.5 amps outside.

[Puddles]

kat1958 wrote:
Hi again all. I posted a question regarding this recall but no answers so far. If your model number is listed, but NOT your serial number, is the refrigerator still included in the recall?

Thanks for any replies
Kathy

I would call and get on the recall notification regardless. Not use the electrical element for cooling... Make Dometic tell me in writing that my refrigerator was not included in the recall. Be cautious. 🙂

[stevenal]

The fatigue described may have already occured. Replacing the element or avoiding AC use in the future will not undo any damage already done, or avoid the potential for full cracking and the resulting ignition. The secondary housing reinforcing the primary, and providing secondary containment of the gases should the primary fail; sounds like a good way to go.

[kat1958]

Hi again all. I posted a question regarding this recall but no answers so far. If your model number is listed, but NOT your serial number, is the refrigerator still included in the recall?

Thanks for any replies
Kathy

[Chris_Bryant]

A couple of comments- this recall is virtually identical to the recent Norcold recall. Norcold started the recall by installing lower wattage heating elements, but wound up replacing the cooling units because of the problem.
The Norcold instructions were to not use the refrigerator on 120 volt power until the recall was performed, as the expansion and contraction from the electric element was what caused the leak, even though an LP flame is needed for ignition.

The interesting part is that the affected Dometic cooling units are a new design, which is much closer to the Norcold design (there are no tubes sticking out in to the freezer compartment).

[MrMudstud]

WilleyB wrote:
Please remember that metal when heated expands and contracts when cooled so in a way it is similar to taking a piece of metal and bending back and forth like a hinge. Sooner or later the metal will fatigue and then crack. The larger heating element in it's on off cycle most likely exceeds the expansion and contraction caused by the smaller heating element. That being said, a reduction in the wattage of the larger element would seem to be a safer fix than what is planned or could possibly used together. Cheers Willis

I was thinking the same thing, in fact I was going to get it change out to the standard heating element to be safe. How much trouble is it to change it out and how much would it cost in general for the part? Thanks

[WilleyB]

Oh! my!! here I go thinking again,(this is not good):B

Please remember that metal when heated expands and contracts when cooled so in a way it is similar to taking a piece of metal and bending back and forth like a hinge. Sooner or later the metal will fatigue and then crack. The larger heating element in it's on off cycle most likely exceeds the expansion and contraction caused by the smaller heating element. That being said, a reduction in the wattage of the larger element would seem to be a safer fix than what is planned or could possibly used together. I'll have to have a look this weekend to see if something for the interim can be done without upsetting the professionals and being accused of tampering :B
Yep! mine made the list also.

Cheers Willis

[kat1958]

If your model is listed, but not your serial number, is the refrigerator o.k.
Thanks