Flushmate Recalls Flushmate III Pressure-Assisted Flushing System Due to Impact and Laceration Hazards

For Immediate Release
June 21, 2012 CPSC
Release #12-20

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 303-5123
Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
HC Media Contact: (613) 957-2983

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Flushmate® III Pressure-Assist Flushing System

Units: About 2,330,600 in the U.S. and 9,400 in Canada

Manufacturer: Flushmate, of New Hudson, Mich., a division of Sloan Valve Company

Hazard: The system can burst at or near the vessel weld seam releasing stored pressure. This pressure can lift the tank lid and shatter the tank, posing impact or laceration hazards to consumers and property damage.

Incidents/Injuries: Flushmate has received 304 reports of the product bursting, resulting in property damage and 14 impact or laceration injuries.

Description: This recall is for Series 503 Flushmate® III Pressure Assist flushing systems installed inside toilet tanks. The recalled systems were manufactured from October 1997 to February 2008. The units are rectangular, black, two-piece vessels made of injection molded plastic. The date code/serial number is 16 characters long and is located on the label on the top of the Flushmate III. The first six numerals of the serial number are the date code. The date code range for this recall begins with 101497 (October 14, 1997) and continues through 022908 (February 29, 2008).

Sold at: The Home Depot and Lowe’s stores, distributors and plumbing contractors nationwide for about $108, and sold to toilet manufacturers including American Standard, Crane, Eljer, Gerber, Kohler, Mansfield and St. Thomas.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately turn off the water supply to the recalled Flushmate III unit and stop using the system. Consumers should contact the firm to determine if their Flushmate III serial number is included in the recall and to request a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Flushmate toll-free at (800) 303-5123 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.flushmate.com and http://recall.flushmate.com.

Note: Health Canada's press release is available at http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/recallretrait-eng.jsp?re_id=1633.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov
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CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products—such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals—contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Under federal law, it is illegal to attempt to sell or resell this or any other recalled product.  To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, go online to: SaferProducts.gov, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing and speech impaired. Consumers can obtain this news release and product safety information at www.cpsc.gov. To join a free e-mail subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.

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