A.O. Smith Recalls Gas Water Heaters Due to Fire and Carbon Monoxide Hazards

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #08241) was formally reported on April 3, 2008. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. A.O. Smith Water Products Co., of Ashland City, Tenn. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 1,500 units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: The water heater's flue gas temperatures can exceed safe limits and produce excessive temperatures in the venting unit, posing a fire hazard. Also, the water heater's exhaust can leak into the surrounding room, posing a… 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 should immediately stop using the recalled water heater and contact A.O. Smith to arrange for a free repair. — 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 18 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.