How to check your appliances for recalls

Appliances do get recalled, and owners don't always hear about it. A recall can cover a dishwasher with a power cord that can overheat or a refrigerator handle that can come loose. [5] [6] When you buy a home, you inherit appliances you didn't register, so the maker may not know how to reach you.

Checking is free and quick. All you need is each appliance's model and serial number.

Step 1: Find the model and serial number

Every major appliance has a label, sometimes called a rating plate, with the brand, model number and serial number. It's usually inside a door or on the frame, so you often have to open the appliance to see it. [3] [4] Here's where to look first:

Appliance	Where the label usually is
Refrigerator	Inside the fresh food section, on an upper side wall [3] [4]
Dishwasher	On the edge of the tub or the inside edge of the door, seen with the door open [3] [4]
Range or oven	On the oven frame, the side trim inside the oven door, or the frame behind the storage drawer [3] [4]
Cooktop	On the underside of the cooktop [3] [4]
Over-the-range microwave	On the front frame, seen with the door open [3]
Range hood	Behind a grease filter or under the hood on a side panel [3] [4]
Front-load washer	On the rim of the door opening [3] [4]
Top-load washer	Under the lid on the tub rim [3] [4]
Dryer	On the rim or top of the door opening [3] [4]

Locations vary by brand and model. A recall notice will often say exactly where the label is on the recalled models. For example, one CPSC dishwasher recall pointed owners to the top side of the inner door panel. [5]

Take a clear photo of each label with your phone. You'll have the numbers handy for recalls, repairs, parts and warranty claims.

Step 2: Search the CPSC recall list

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is the federal agency that handles recalls of household appliances. Its recalls page lets you search recalls and product safety warnings by keyword, and filter by product category, hazard and date. [1]

Tips for searching:

• Search by brand and appliance type, like "Bosch dishwasher" or "GE refrigerator." Then open each result that looks close.
• Compare your model and serial number with the list in the notice. Recalls often cover only certain model numbers and a range of serial numbers, so the same brand and type may or may not be included. [5] [6]
• Search the parent company too. Many brands belong to the same maker, and the recall may be listed under that name. For example, GE Appliances, a Haier company, sells the GE, GE Profile, Café, Monogram, Haier and Hotpoint brands. [7]

If you have trouble searching, the CPSC Consumer Hotline is 800-638-2772. [1]

Step 3: Check the maker's website

CPSC recall notices list how to reach the maker, usually a toll-free number and often a recall page on the maker's website. [5] [6] If you can't find a recall page, call the maker's customer service with your model and serial number and ask whether any recalls or safety notices apply.

While you're on the maker's site, register the appliance in your name. If you bought the home with the appliances in it, the maker has no record of you. Some recalls are announced partly by contacting known buyers directly. [6]

Step 4: Sign up for recall emails

The CPSC offers free recall emails, and you can choose which kinds of recalls you want to hear about. It also has a recall RSS feed. [1] Signing up is the easiest way to hear about a new recall on something you already own.

If your appliance is recalled

1. Read the whole notice. It tells you the hazard, which models are included and the remedy, the fix the maker offers. [5] [6]
2. Follow the instructions about use. Some notices tell you to stop using the appliance right away. A 2016 dishwasher recall, for example, told owners to stop using the dishwasher right away and contact the maker for a free check and repair. [5] Others tell you to contact the maker for instructions on safe use until the fix is done. [6]
3. Contact the maker using the phone number or website in the notice. Have your model and serial number ready.
4. Schedule the remedy. Both recalls mentioned here offered free repairs. In the 2022 refrigerator recall, the maker sent a technician for a free in-home repair. [5] [6]
5. Keep a record. Save the confirmation, the date and the name of the person you spoke with.

Let the maker handle the fix the notice describes, rather than repairing a recalled appliance yourself.

If something seems unsafe but isn't recalled

If an appliance overheats, sparks, smells like burning or has hurt someone, stop using it and report it. The CPSC runs SaferProducts.gov, where you can report a dangerous product and search reports other people have filed. [2] Your report lets the CPSC and other consumers know about a dangerous product. [2]

If you smell gas, leave the home and call your gas utility or 911 from outside. Gas and electrical problems are work for a licensed professional.

Recalls and your home report

When a HomeCloud evaluation finds an appliance that's on a recall, the report flags it as an appliance recall so the owner can contact the maker. The fix comes from the maker under the recall, not from a contractor.

A recall check is a good first step whenever an appliance acts up. Before you pay for a repair, see repair or replace an appliance? For upkeep that keeps appliances running safely, see our appliance maintenance checklist. For other appliance fixes, like a missing range anti-tip bracket, see range and oven repairs and dishwasher repairs.

Sources

1. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Recalls
2. SaferProducts.gov, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
3. Whirlpool: Where is my model and serial number located?
4. Frigidaire: Where can I find my model and serial number?
5. CPSC: BSH Home Appliances recalls dishwashers (2016)
6. CPSC: GE Appliances, a Haier company, recalls bottom-freezer French door refrigerators (2022)
7. GE Appliances: Company overview