Norcold Refrigerator Fires

On October 7, 2010 Norcold, Inc. (Norcold) notified the NHTSA that it had decided certain 1200 series refrigerators, manufactured between January 1, 2003, and October 6, 2010, contain a safety related defect. Norcold stated that certain refrigerators contain either a sensing algorithm or a thermal switch to interrupt power to the refrigerator when it detects high temperatures that could lead to a fire. Norcold intends to install a thermocouple to improve the response time of this high temperature detection and further reduce the possibility of fire within these units. Should a fire occur within a refrigerator installed into a recreational vehicle, both personal injury and property damage are possible. This issue was assigned recall number 10E-049. On December 14, 2010, the Recall Management Division (RMD) mailed an information request (IR) letter to Norcold requesting a list of customers who purchased the same or similar defective refrigerators. Norcold responded to RMD's IR letter on December 21, 2010, with a list of companies that were further sold this equipment. On January 3, 2011, RMD mailed IR letters to 55 companies from Norcold's customer list known to manufacture vehicles or alter new vehicles. On August 8, 2011, RMD mailed another IR to 6 companies that did not respond to the first request for information. In total, 39 companies filed responses with RMD. Of those companies that responded, 23 filed Defect Reports with NHTSA and conducted safety recalls for their affected vehicles. 12 companies responded that they did not install the defective refrigerators into new motor vehicles. One company, Gulfstream Coach Inc., filed their Part 573 Report prior to the opening of this EQ. Three companies, Country Coach Corp., Trail Lite, and H&H Trailer Company, responded that their companies were previously liquidated and their new companies did have the needed records to conduct safety recalls. Of the IR letters mailed, 12 letters were undeliverable due to companies n