Hewlett-Packard Co. Recalls Fax Machines Due to Fire Hazard

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #08313) was formally reported on June 27, 2008. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. The recalling firm is not specified in the federal record. Federal records indicate About 367,000 units (an additional 84,000 units sold outside of the U.S.) 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: An internal electrical component failure can cause overheating of the product posing a risk of burn or fire. 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 disconnect the recalled fax machine from the electrical power source and contact HP to receive a rebate. — 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 6 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 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.