Kidde recently identified a potential product safety issue related to certain models of its fire extinguishers. As a result, the company is voluntarily recalling these extinguishers. The recall involves 134 models of Kidde fire extinguishers manufactured between January 1, 1973 and August 15, 2017, including some models involved in previous recalls. This short guide will help you identify whether your fire extinguisher is included in the recall and explain where to find the information needed to process your request for a free replacement.
There are two styles of fire extinguishers included in the recall: particular plastic handle fire extinguishers and push-button pindicator fire extinguishers. If the extinguisher has a gauge, the first thing to look for is a vertically oriented pull pin that is either fixed with two connections or hanging with a single connection. The other distinguishing factor is a straight – not curved – handle.
The second style of affected extinguisher is the pushbutton pindicator design. These extinguishers have pushbuttons, a T-shaped pull pin and a looped handle. They come in two sizes, and are either red or white. If your pushbutton pindicator model is used with a personal watercraft, Kidde does not currently have an exact replacement for it, but will provide a replacement that is U.S. Coast Guard rated and similar in size. While it may not fit in the same location as your current extinguisher, there may be another place on the watercraft where the extinguisher can be stored or mounted.
Not all Kidde fire extinguishers are affected by the recall. If your extinguisher has a metal handle and metal pull pin in any style, it is not affected. Plastic handled extinguishers with horizontal plastic pull pins and a curved black plastic handle are also not affected. These unaffected units come in various sizes; are either red, white or silver; and can be ABC- or BC-rated, but the important thing to remember is the horizontal plastic pull pin and the curved black plastic handle.
If you have an affected fire extinguisher, you will need to provide three unique identifiers from your unit to process a replacement:
- Model number
- Date of manufacture (if available)
- Serial number
First locate and identify the model number and color of the fire extinguisher. The model number can be found on the bottom right of the fire extinguisher label below the UL mark, and may consist of both letters and numbers. If more than one model is listed on the label, you will only need to submit the first model listed. If you are entering your request online, the web form includes a drop-down list of affected models in the color of the fire extinguisher. Be sure to select your respective combination of model and color. If you do not see your fire extinguisher listed, it is not subject to the recall.
If you need to provide the date of manufacture of your fire extinguisher, you can locate this 10-digit date code on the side or back of the cylinder near the bottom. Digits five through nine represent the day and year of manufacture in DDDYY format (DDD represents ordinal date format). You will only need to provide these 5 digits. Date codes for recalled models manufactured from January 2, 2012 through August 15, 2017 are 00212 through 22717. For units produced before 2007, a date code will not be required.
The final item you will need to complete your replacement request is the serial number. The serial number is located near the model number on the unit’s label, and consists of a combination of letters and numbers.
You can call or go online to begin the replacement process. Visit kidde.com, or call (855) 271-0773 in the U.S. or (855) 233-2882 in Canada to submit your order. Keep your affected unit until your replacement arrives. Upon receipt of your new fire extinguisher, you will find instructions on how to return your affected fire extinguisher.