Amana Air Conditioner Recall Issued Due to Overheating Risk

More than 230,000 self-contained heating and air conditioning systems have been recalled, following reports that suggest the power cords may smoke and catch fire. 

An Amana PTAC air conditioning recall was announced by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) on August 27, following at least five reports of problems with power cords overheating, smoking, and sometimes bursting into flames.

The units being recalled are self-contained heating and air conditioning systems, most often used in commercial spaces, such as hotels, apartment buildings, and motels, to provide individual climate controls for rooms. They are referred to commonly as a “PTAC” system which stands for Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps.

The Amana PTAC recall consists of an estimated 233,500 units, which are rated for 230/208 volt or 3.5 kW, with serial numbers ranging from 0701009633 to 0804272329. The units are beige in color and have the brand names Amana, Century, Comfort-Aire, Goodman, or York International printed on the front cover. Serial numbers can be found on the control plate under the unit’s front cover.

The PTAC units were manufactured in the United States under Goodman Company, L.P., of Houston, Texas. They were sold at Goodman stores as well as heating and cooling equipment dealers nationwide from January 2007 through June 2008 for between $700 and $1,000.

The CPSC recommends that customers with recalled PTAC units stop using them and unplug them from the wall outlet immediately. Customers with recalled Amana or Goodman and York International branded units can call the customer help line at 800-366-0339 and customers with Comfort-Aire or Century branded units can contact 877-442-4482 or visit them online at www.amana-ptac.com.

Amana officials say the company will provide free replacement units and free installation or a new control board with new power cords for non-commercial owners. For commercial owners, Amana will install the new power cord and inspect the control board and evaluate whether a new control board is necessary.