Equipment Query EQ10-006: Dimplex Fireplace Remote Control Kits

On May 11, 2010, Skyline Corporation notified the NHTSA that it had decided certain model year 2004-2007 Skyline Park Model trailers contain a safety related defect.

Skyline stated that certain trailers were originally equipped with Dimplex electric fireplaces containing a plug-in remote control receiver that can overheat, possibly causing a fire.

NHTSA assigned recall number 10V-201 to this matter.

In early May 2010, Thor Industries contacted the Recall Management Division (RMD) regarding the use of these Dimplex fireplaces in several of its recreational vehicles.

Upon initial contact with Dimplex, it was learned that these fireplaces were sold through a distributor that may sell them to many other recreational vehicle manufacturers to be installed as original equipment.

Dimplexissued a recall with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (#10-167) for 700,000 units.

In May 2010 RMD informed Dimplex of its responsibilities under 49 CFR 573 as to its obligations to conduct a safety recall for the original equipment used in motor vehicles by more than one vehicle manufacturer.

Dimplex submitted its Part 573 Report (10E-027) on June 6, 2010, identifying a total 25,000 defective units sold to its distributor, WESCO International, Inc. (WESCO).

On July 6, 2010, RMD mailed WESCO an Information Request (IR) letter requesting a full list of customers that were sold these recalled fireplaces.

WESCO responded on July 23, 2010, with a listing of 162 companies that were further sold this equipment.

After parsing out closed companies from the list and those known to RMD not to further distribute motor vehicle equipment or manufacture vehicles, RMD contacted a total of 40 companies with IR letters mailed on August 31, 2010.

On November 1, 2010, RMD mailed a second round of IR letters to 14 companies that had not yet responded to the first letter.

By the end of December 2010, another 2 IR letters were mailed to Wray Brothers and Rexhall Industries, as they had still not responded to RMD's letters.

As of the closing of this EQ, despite multiple phone calls, e-mail exchanges, and IR letters, these two companies have still not filed an official response with RMD regarding this matter.

RMD will refer this matter to the Office of the Chief Counsel (NCC) for further enforcement activity as appropriate.

Of the remaining 38 companies RMD contacted, their responses break down as follows:- 23 vehicle manufacturers filed a Part 573 Report with NHTSA and contacted their affected customers.- 6 letters were returned as those companies are no longer operating.- 4 companies only used the units for samples/prototypes and did not retail them to the public.- 3 companies either did not receive any affected units or only sold their units outside the U.S.market.- 1 company, R-Vision, responded that their company filed bankruptcy and they no longer possessedcustomer records for those vehicles affected by the Dimplex equipment.- 1 company, Custom Campers, is owned by NuWa Industries and their affected units were included in NuWa's Part 573 report to NHTSA. For detailed responses, please see the attached spreadsheet outlining each company's response to NHTSA's IR letters.

This EQ is closed.