SAN ANTONIO – Whirlpool Corp. has done an about face. The company initially denied claims by Consumer Reports that one of its microwaves could start up on its own and catch fire. Friday, the company acknowledged it's possible.
The report earlier this month said dozens of the KitchenAid KHMS155LSS microwaves could beep, turn on, get hot - even catch fire. Whirlpool told Consumer Reports it could not verify that.
Recommended Videos
Whirlpool has since said, "We have determined that it was possible for certain keypads in this specific model to develop unintended electrical paths, which could cause the keypad to beep, or very rarely, start the microwave oven."
The company is offering a free repair to owners of that KitchenAid model. Those customers should call 1-800-422-1230.
The rest of its statement said, "We conducted rigorous safety evaluations, and determined that this issue does not present a safety concern for consumers because of the built in safety features designed to contain potential heat damage inside the unit. We evaluate every report that is brought to our attention, and have not verified a single instance where a microwave self-activated and caused heat damage outside the unit. We have reviewed this situation with the appropriate U.S. and Canadian government safety agencies, including the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Ontario Electrical Safety Authority. We are offering owners of this model microwave the option of a free repair, even if the unit is no longer under warranty."
You can read more information about the Consumer Reports findings here.