CPSC, Firms Announce Recall of GSW Water Heaters With S.I.T. Temperature Controls

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #03156) was formally reported on July 2, 2003. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. GSW Industries Inc., of Fergus, Ontario, Canada is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate 13,000 (In addition, 140,000 units were sold in Canada) units are affected, placing this recall in the million-unit bracket that typically triggers nationwide consumer alerts and retailer sweeps.

The documented reason for this recall is: A potential burn hazard from ignition flashback or an increase in tank water temperature. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: When installing a GSW water heater with a SIT AC4 gas control valve in the identified group, or re-lighting the pilot light, the following instructions must be complied with: 1 - Make sure that the w… — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 3 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 23 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.