PlainRecalls

CPSC, American Standard Companies Announce Recall of Trane and American Standard Accessory Electric Heaters

Reported: April 20, 2004 Initiated: April 20, 2004 #04122 About 37,000 units

American Standard Companies, of Piscataway, N.J. issued this CPSC recall on April 20, 2004. Classified as Moderate severity. Approximately About 37,000 units are affected. The recall was issued because: Overheating of the wiring in the accessory heater can lead to wall thermostat fires.. This recall notice is sourced from official CPSC enforcement records. Below you will find the complete product description, hazard information, remedy instructions, and related recalls from the same manufacturer or product category.

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #04122) was formally reported on April 20, 2004. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. American Standard Companies, of Piscataway, N.J. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 37,000 units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: Overheating of the wiring in the accessory heater can lead to wall thermostat fires. 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: Consumers who have not yet been contacted by independent dealers should immediately contact their installer to determine if they have a recalled unit. Consumers may arrange for a free inspection and … — 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. 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 22 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.

Recall Distribution by Severity Class

Severity1Class I (Critical)Class II (Moderate)Class III (Low)
Recall Distribution by Severity Class

Severity

Moderate

Units Affected

About 37,000

Related Recalls

6

0 from same agency

Product Description

The 240-volt accessory heaters are used to provide supplemental heat in the heat pump or electric heating system. The accessory heater - model number BAYHTR1415BRKAC manufactured between April 14, 2003 and February 6, 2004 - is located inside the air handler cabinet usually found in the basement, attic, equipment closet or crawlspace of a consumer's home. The horizontally or vertically installed air handler is a painted metal cabinet with the Trane or American Standard name plate on its front. Air handler model numbers are found on the outside of the air handler door. Consumers with one of the recalled units are being directly contacted by the independent dealer that installed it. If you had a Trane or American Standard heat pump or electric heating system installed between April 2003 and February 2004, and have not yet been contacted by your installer, write down your air handler model number and call your installer to see whether your air handler could contain a recalled heater. You may also visit the firm's website to see whether your air handler could contain one of the recalled heaters and, if so, call your installer. To avoid electric shock, do not open the air handler door. Only a professional installer should open the air handler door to determine if you have a recalled accessory heater.

Reason for Recall

Overheating of the wiring in the accessory heater can lead to wall thermostat fires.

Remedy

Consumers who have not yet been contacted by independent dealers should immediately contact their installer to determine if they have a recalled unit. Consumers may arrange for a free inspection and repair through their installer.

Recall Profile

Structured summary of the CPSC recall record
Attribute Value
Agency U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Severity class Moderate
Status Active
Recall number 04122
Date reported April 20, 2004
Date initiated April 20, 2004
Recalling firm American Standard Companies, of Piscataway, N.J.
Units affected About 37,000
Distribution Not disclosed

Profile values are sourced directly from the official CPSC enforcement record. Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Scale of Impact

About 37,000 units affected — limited or regional distribution scale.

Regional (<10K units)
Multi-state (10K – 100K units) ✓ This recall
Large-scale (100K – 1M units)
Massive (≥1M units)

Bracket cutoffs follow federal recall-disclosure conventions; bar widths scale linearly within each bracket. Source: PlainRecalls analysis of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission filings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What product was recalled?
The 240-volt accessory heaters are used to provide supplemental heat in the heat pump or electric heating system. The accessory heater - model number BAYHTR1415BRKAC manufactured between April 14, 2003 and February 6, 2004 - is located inside the air handler cabinet usually found in the basement, attic, equipment closet or crawlspace of a consumer's home. The horizontally or vertically installed air handler is a painted metal cabinet with the Trane or American Standard name plate on its front. Air handler model numbers are found on the outside of the air handler door. Consumers with one of the recalled units are being directly contacted by the independent dealer that installed it. If you had a Trane or American Standard heat pump or electric heating system installed between April 2003 and February 2004, and have not yet been contacted by your installer, write down your air handler model number and call your installer to see whether your air handler could contain a recalled heater. You may also visit the firm's website to see whether your air handler could contain one of the recalled heaters and, if so, call your installer. To avoid electric shock, do not open the air handler door. Only a professional installer should open the air handler door to determine if you have a recalled accessory heater.. Recalled by American Standard Companies, of Piscataway, N.J.. Units affected: About 37,000.
Why was this product recalled?
Overheating of the wiring in the accessory heater can lead to wall thermostat fires.
What should consumers do?
Consumers who have not yet been contacted by independent dealers should immediately contact their installer to determine if they have a recalled unit. Consumers may arrange for a free inspection and repair through their installer.
Which agency issued this recall?
This recall was issued by the CPSC on April 20, 2004. Severity: Moderate. Recall number: 04122.
How do I check if my product is affected by a recall?
Check the product description and recall number (04122) against your product. Visit the official CPSC website for the most current information. You can also use our Recall Checker tool to search by product name or brand.
How do I report an injury from a recalled product?
Report injuries to the issuing agency: CPSC at SaferProducts.gov, NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem, or FDA via MedWatch. Document the product (photos, model/serial numbers, purchase receipts) and seek medical attention. Injury reports help agencies track hazard patterns and may strengthen enforcement actions.

Recall Context

Product recalls are issued when a manufacturer, distributor, or federal agency determines that a product poses a safety risk to consumers. This recall is classified as moderate severity, indicating the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health consequences. Across PlainRecalls, we track 83,000+ recalls from FDA, CPSC, and NHTSA to help consumers stay informed and act quickly when safety issues arise.

Nearby Recalls in This Category

Other recalls in the same product category — useful for spotting patterns across the same defect class or manufacturer.

Compare this recall with Endo-Model Replacement Plateau; Item Number: 15-0027/11; →

Data Sources

Data as of 2025. Source: FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS federal recall databases.

  • Source: FDA — Food and Drug Administration, openFDA Enforcement API (food, drug, and medical device recalls)
  • Source: CPSC — Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls API (consumer product recalls and hazards)
  • Source: NHTSA — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Recalls API (vehicle safety recalls)
  • Source: USDA FSIS — Food Safety and Inspection Service (meat, poultry, and egg product recalls)

Recall information is sourced from official federal agency databases. Always verify recall details with the issuing agency for the most current status. This information is for research and awareness purposes only.

All federal data sources used on this page

Source: Federal recall agencies (FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS) Aggregated multi-agency recall feeds · 2024 Recall data normalized across federal agency feeds; severity classifications follow each agency's own taxonomy (FDA Class I/II/III; CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS).