Thermador Oven Recall: Risk of Fire in Self-Cleaning Mode

About 37,000 Thermador Built-in Ovens have been recalled after the manufacturer received reports that they can catch fire when used in self-cleaning mode.

The Thermador oven recall was announced on Thursday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and BSH Home Appliances Corp., the manufacturer, after three reports were identified of incidents where the oven overheated in self-cleaning mode. In two of the incidents, nearby cabinets caught on fire, but there were no injuries reported.

According to the CPSC, the defective Thermador ovens have gaps in their insulation which can cause overheating when the oven is in self-cleaning mode. That overheating can cause cabinets alongside the built-in ovens to combust.

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The recall affects Thermador built-in double ovens with model numbers C272B, C302B, SEC272, SEC302, SECD272 and SECD302, and serial numbers between FD8403 through FD8701. The model numbers and serial numbers are located on the underside of the oven’s control panel.

This oven recall is an expansion of a Thermador recall issued in June 2007 for the same problem. However, the previous recall was limited to single ovens and combination models which had a conventional oven and microwave. The original recall was issued after a Thermador oven fire caused a consumer to suffer extensive property damage. About 42,000 ovens were affected by the original recall.

The ovens were sold through appliance stores and specialty stores nationwide from June 2004 through July 2007 for between $3,000 and $4,400.

Any consumers who own the affected Thermador ovens should stop using the self-cleaning mode and contact the company at www.thermador.com for an inspection and free repair.

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26 Comments

  • LoriApril 18, 2022 at 6:17 pm

    I have a Model MED272JS oven. It is 7 years old. I have used the self-cleaning feature at least twice a year since I got it. I cook a lot, but never let the oven get too dirty. I have never had a problem. It doesn’t heat up on the outside. I can’t smell anything when it’s cleaning. But all these comments make me wonder.

  • SandraApril 28, 2020 at 7:53 am

    Oven door glass exploded 15 minutes into Self cleaning mode. Model MEMC301

  • DominicNovember 13, 2017 at 12:27 am

    I purchased a built in single wall oven model CM301ZS by Thermador and a Thermador cook top when I had my kitchen built in 2002. I probably used the oven about 20 times and that was only during the holidays. I used the self clean mode once and shortly after I got a code F34 on the oven and it stopped working. I called thermador and was told it was the cooling fan. I then spoke to a repairman and w[Show More]I purchased a built in single wall oven model CM301ZS by Thermador and a Thermador cook top when I had my kitchen built in 2002. I probably used the oven about 20 times and that was only during the holidays. I used the self clean mode once and shortly after I got a code F34 on the oven and it stopped working. I called thermador and was told it was the cooling fan. I then spoke to a repairman and was told that the cooling fan is still being made, but the switch that counts the rotation of the fan isn't available anymore. He said that it could be either problem. So if I spend the money for the fan and it isn"t the problem, I am out another couple of hundred dollars for the part plus labor. I think I spent around $3K plus for the oven. I figure it cost me about $150 per turkey to cook. Wow!! I will never buy another Thermador product again.

  • tomMarch 17, 2017 at 4:44 pm

    y oven is about 10 yrs old. Recently while using self cleaning function for the 1st time, oven did not work. Looked on line for direction and learned of a recall due to over heating. Technician came and replace insulation but said the control panel is bad and requires replacement. Technician said the control panel is NOT covered in the recall. He is ordering and will return to replace the cont[Show More]y oven is about 10 yrs old. Recently while using self cleaning function for the 1st time, oven did not work. Looked on line for direction and learned of a recall due to over heating. Technician came and replace insulation but said the control panel is bad and requires replacement. Technician said the control panel is NOT covered in the recall. He is ordering and will return to replace the control panel...total cost approx $400. Why is thris not covered by the recall?? Am I the only one to experience this control panel failure after using the self cleaning function? Is there any risk of using this oven after the recall repair?

  • MargieFebruary 19, 2017 at 5:45 pm

    Guess what happened to me last night? Same as everyone else...first time using self cleanon MEF272JS and shattered glass within 15 minutes...very scary...

  • MarkNovember 21, 2016 at 2:30 am

    We turned the PODMW301J to self cleaning mode and about 11 minutes into it we heard a loud pop. Went down stairs and found the inside glass broken! The fumes are burning our eyes!

  • NicoleAugust 21, 2016 at 9:46 pm

    Same as above, will call tomorrow to local appliance store as today is Sunday. Not at all happy.

  • LizAugust 8, 2016 at 3:17 pm

    Our oven is about 9 monhts old. The glass shattered about one hour into self clean mode. The middle pane of glass. Model MED272JS/05. FD 950800090. We are waiting to hear if Thermador will cover the repair.

  • JimMarch 23, 2016 at 4:33 pm

    March 23 2016 PRD364NLGU/03 Arrived Jan 2016 first self cleaning March 22 2016 glass shattered 20 minutes awaiting service tech scheduled for March 29th.

  • RickJanuary 25, 2016 at 3:56 pm

    Purchased a MEDMC301 combination wall oven 10/26/2015. Executed the self clean feature for the first time 01/24/2016. 15 minutes into the cycle, the inner glass shattered. Spoke with Thermador 01/25/2016 and was told that a service tech must come out to do a "diagnostic" before taking any action. This is clearly NOT how to handle a known problem. The CSR at Thermador was not in the least sympath[Show More]Purchased a MEDMC301 combination wall oven 10/26/2015. Executed the self clean feature for the first time 01/24/2016. 15 minutes into the cycle, the inner glass shattered. Spoke with Thermador 01/25/2016 and was told that a service tech must come out to do a "diagnostic" before taking any action. This is clearly NOT how to handle a known problem. The CSR at Thermador was not in the least sympathetic to this issue. Oven is 3 months old and still in warranty. My wife happened to be standing in front of the oven when it shattered. She is traumatized. Do not trust oven after this. Wouldlike a replacement, but will see how Thermador handles situation. Will send glass out to a forensic lab for analyses. Clearly a design or manufacturing problem which is not being addressed. Will require a class action to resolve.

  • TracyNovember 27, 2015 at 12:00 pm

    I bought my Thermador range less than a year ago. Yesterday was Thanksgiving. I put the 14pd turkey in at 11:30 on 325. It still wasn't cooked at 5:30. The outside looked done but the inside wasn't. So far everything I have cooked in the oven takes twice the time. When my company left I put the oven in self cleaning mode. It smelled really bad. Like the house was on fire and then 15 to 20 minutes [Show More]I bought my Thermador range less than a year ago. Yesterday was Thanksgiving. I put the 14pd turkey in at 11:30 on 325. It still wasn't cooked at 5:30. The outside looked done but the inside wasn't. So far everything I have cooked in the oven takes twice the time. When my company left I put the oven in self cleaning mode. It smelled really bad. Like the house was on fire and then 15 to 20 minutes into the cleaning process the interior glass shattered!! I hate this product and want it out of my house. I had a Kenmore Elite for 10 years that never had a problem. Thermador makes a dangerous range!

  • PhilOctober 16, 2015 at 12:06 am

    Turned our nine month old, hardly used ME302JS Double Oven on to self clean and about 20 minutes later it "exploded". Glass everywhere. Despite now finding all the emails above, Thermador states they will replace the glass only. We are to use the oven with all of the unreachable glass particles. Even told me that the glass pieces can't jump from the crevices in to the food being cooked. Looks[Show More]Turned our nine month old, hardly used ME302JS Double Oven on to self clean and about 20 minutes later it "exploded". Glass everywhere. Despite now finding all the emails above, Thermador states they will replace the glass only. We are to use the oven with all of the unreachable glass particles. Even told me that the glass pieces can't jump from the crevices in to the food being cooked. Looks like despite a recall, the problem hasn't been fixed.

  • BrianMarch 17, 2015 at 1:07 am

    3-16-2015 Set my Thermador Double Oven to clean mode on the lower unit. About 10-15 minutes into the process I heard a loud pop, I witnessed some material ? burning inside the unit and then discovered that the glass had shattered. Not sure what will happen next regarding repair /replacement.

  • StuAugust 16, 2014 at 6:04 am

    We had our Thermador Double Oven Model MED272JS installed April 2014. August 15,2014 we turned on the self cleaning mode for the upper oven for the first time and about 20 minutes into the 1-1/2 cycle heard a loud pop and noticed the interior glass shattered.

  • KenMay 29, 2014 at 3:57 am

    Cleaning up after door glass just shattered walk by bare foot small cut On top of my foot when schattered. Wow thanks Thermador.

  • DonnaFebruary 11, 2014 at 8:22 pm

    We just had a 30" Thermador Wall Oven-Micro-Warm Combo, Model #PODMW301J-USA professionally installed a week ago (Feb 2014); we turned on the self-cleaning mode yesterday and the interior glass shattered with about 45 minutes remaining on the cycle. Furthermore, the toxic chemical fumes caused by the self-cleaning caused my eyes to burn, light headedness and a headache. We are waiting to find ou[Show More]We just had a 30" Thermador Wall Oven-Micro-Warm Combo, Model #PODMW301J-USA professionally installed a week ago (Feb 2014); we turned on the self-cleaning mode yesterday and the interior glass shattered with about 45 minutes remaining on the cycle. Furthermore, the toxic chemical fumes caused by the self-cleaning caused my eyes to burn, light headedness and a headache. We are waiting to find out what needs to be done to rectify the issue.

  • cskMarch 8, 2013 at 7:40 pm

    I have a combo oven/microwave model PODM301 about 2 years old and when the oven was put in self-clean mode about 15 minutes later heard a pop and then the interior glass shattered into small pieces. There is clearly an on-going problem with their ovens dating back 5 years and still continuing based on my experience and others..... Thermador is reluctant to give any info regarding this situation

  • BiancaJanuary 2, 2013 at 3:21 pm

    We have a ME302ES, about 3 years old and the middle glass of the lower oven shattered. I don't dare running the self-clean mode for the upper oven anymore...Thermador said that this model is not affected - the comments above prove that this is not true. We should consult a lawyer together and have Thermadore replace our ovens for which we all paid a fortune!

  • TinaNovember 18, 2012 at 12:54 am

    Exploding glass door on Bosch oven during self cleaning. Turned on per directions for self cleaning and about 15 minutes into process. Loud pop and inner glass exploded. Had to wait until self cleaning cylce allowed to cool down before opening door. Pictures available.

  • KathyJune 7, 2012 at 3:50 pm

    I have the large Thermador with the griddle and the we cleaned the oven for the first time this past weekend. We went through the self-cleaning process and after the four-hour process (when the lights had gone off and the oven-cleaning process was complete) we opened the oven to wipe it out, etc. The middle glass to the oven shattered as soon as the door was opened. When we contacted Thermador th[Show More]I have the large Thermador with the griddle and the we cleaned the oven for the first time this past weekend. We went through the self-cleaning process and after the four-hour process (when the lights had gone off and the oven-cleaning process was complete) we opened the oven to wipe it out, etc. The middle glass to the oven shattered as soon as the door was opened. When we contacted Thermador they told us this was out of warranty as our unit is 6 years old, but we had never used the self-clean before as we don't use our oven that much and it has not needed to be done until now. Now we are having problems finding anyone who can repair this. This is crazy!!

  • JenniferMarch 12, 2012 at 10:36 pm

    My oven ME302ES just did the same thing today. 20 minutes into self clean the middle glass on the door shattered. I'm calling the local appliance company and I'm not confident that a replacement is the answer

  • AmyMarch 2, 2012 at 5:01 pm

    Yesterday, March 2 2012, I used the self clean on the top oven of our Thermador MED302ES/X double oven and about half way through the cyle the entire interior glas shattered. Our ovens were installed on 8/31/10. We even bought an extended warrenty through the store we bought the oven from (from Federal Warranty Service Corporation) and when I called them this morning they said it wasn't covered be[Show More]Yesterday, March 2 2012, I used the self clean on the top oven of our Thermador MED302ES/X double oven and about half way through the cyle the entire interior glas shattered. Our ovens were installed on 8/31/10. We even bought an extended warrenty through the store we bought the oven from (from Federal Warranty Service Corporation) and when I called them this morning they said it wasn't covered because the unit has not "functionally failed". What a buch of bunk! Thermador should be concerned about a class action suit with these lemons.

  • JodiFebruary 22, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    I just used the self clean feature on our thermador for the first time as well. The glass shattered within minutes of the clean process. I have yet to try the self clean on the top oven. Our oven is about one year old.

  • SandyJanuary 10, 2012 at 2:16 am

    My ovens are part of the recall. I think the self cleaning unit damaged the clock, the control panel and the gaskets.. I also need 2 hinges on the top oven. These ovens have never baked to my satifaction and it has been noted by friends that the top oven handles were consistently hot. The final straw ,F24 appeared and the ovens have not worked since. I was told by Thermador not to use the ovens[Show More]My ovens are part of the recall. I think the self cleaning unit damaged the clock, the control panel and the gaskets.. I also need 2 hinges on the top oven. These ovens have never baked to my satifaction and it has been noted by friends that the top oven handles were consistently hot. The final straw ,F24 appeared and the ovens have not worked since. I was told by Thermador not to use the ovens.I am waiting to see how Thermador handles this problem. My whole kitchen is Thermador including 2 Bosch diswashers. I am not a hapy camper!

  • CharlesDecember 17, 2010 at 5:13 pm

    New Thermador oven October 2010 MEMC30IES/10. The interior window glass shattered about 20 minutes into the self cleaning mode.

  • DianneMay 28, 2010 at 12:16 am

    I bought my Thermador Masterpiece double oven in March 2009. I just cleaned the bottom oven for the first time. The interior window glass shattered about 15 minutes into the self cleaning mode.

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