KEY POINTS

  • The door hinges of the units can break, so the doors can get detached
  • There have been a few reports of minor injuries in connection with the refrigerators
  • Those whose units are affected may contact the company for a free in-home repair

Hisense USA is recalling more than 55,000 units of its French door refrigerator that was exclusively sold at Lowe's because its door may pose an injury risk to users.

The hinges of the recalled Hisense French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker may break, so its door can actually get detached when a user tries to open it, according to the recall announcement posted on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website.

This may pose an impact injury hazard to the user. As of the recall date (June 9, 2022), there have been 139 reports of the doors getting loose or detached. Injuries such as laceration and foot bruises have also been reported in connection with the recalled product, the announcement noted.

Customers should then check if their refrigerator is included in the recall, which affects units with the model number HRF266N6CSE and serial numbers C2020050100001 to C2020123109000. This information may be found on a label inside the refrigerator, above the water dispenser.

The company also provided photos to help guide customers in finding the needed information. They may then check if their unit is affected through the recall portal.

"Your product may not be affected by the recall due to previous customer services even if your model and serial number fall within the recall scope," the company noted. "We strongly suggest you to search your product in the recall portal."

The refrigerators were sold exclusively at Lowe's stores nationwide from August 2020 until February this year. It was also available online via Lowes.com.

If a customer's unit is deemed to be a part of the recall, they should contact the company to schedule a service visit for a "free in-home repair."

While waiting for the service visit, and if the doors are not sagging, customers may continue using their refrigerators but should make sure to handle the doors "gently," the company noted. Consumers should avoid letting the doors swing open to the maximum or opening and closing them "aggressively."

"Hisense takes great pride in producing the highest quality products, and we recognize our success rests on our customers' trust in our products and our customer service," the company noted. "We are conducting this recall because we want every unit to perform the way our customers expect and for all of our customers to be able to use them safely."

Refrigerator/Food/Bootles
Representation. Pixabay-Pexels