Bissell Recalls 750,000 Vacuums, Electrick Shock Threat Prominent

Bissell Homecare has announced the recall of 750,000 vacuum cleaners because consumers can be shocked by the unit's upper metal handle. The company and the federal government have requested that any consumers owning the units immediately stop using them.

The affected units were sold between 2001 and 2004. The model names and numbers are:

PowerLifter® Plus (model number 1620)
PowerSteamer® ClearView® (model numbers 1692, 1692-1, 1692-R)
Power Steamer® (model numbers 1685, 1693, 1693-R, 1693-W, 1694, 1694-1, 1694-R)
Power Lifter® (model number 1694-3)
Rubbermaid X-tra-Lift™ (model 9E00)

Consumers can call toll-free to (866) 860-2392 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. eastern time on weekdays to learn the location of the nearest service center. That service center will inspect the vacuum and make any necessary repairs for free. Bissell's web site states that units with the marking "INSPECTED" on or near the label are note affected.

"I'm concerned that no compensation is being given to people who have to drive long distances to have a defective product repaired," said Consumer Help Web President Joan Bounacos. "We checked for service centers in major metropolitan locations and found that a 30 or 40 minute roundtrip was common. This isn't like an automotive recall with a network of dealerships nationwide. Not compensating the consumer for the time and trouble to visit a Bissell service center is just bad business and disrepectful to consumers."

posted by Consumer Help Web Editorial Team at 10:05 AM |