Dishwashers recalled due to overheating problem

A local company has recalled nearly 500,000 dishwashers following reports of fire hazards.

BSH Home Appliances Corporation, which manufactures Bosch and Siemens dishwashers, issued the voluntary recall after telling the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission about the issue.

The commission said an electrical component present in certain dishwashers manufactured in North Carolina from May 1999 to July 2005 can cause the dishwasher to overheat; 51 incident reports have been submitted so far, including 30 fires that resulted in property damage, although there have been no known injuries. BSH said the problem can only occur when the dishwasher is in operation.

A list of the affected dishwashers can be found at boschappliances.com or siemens-home.com. People who own the dishwashers are asked to stop using them and contact the company’s repair hotline, (800) 856-9226, for a free repair; a live operator is available 24/7, and repairs will be made indefinitely.

Callers are asked to have the brand name, model and serial number available before calling.

— Candice Baker