On November 1, 2012, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Bose Corporation, of Framingham, Massachusetts, is recalling about 20,500 units of the Dual-Voltage CineMate II Home Theatre Speaker Systems. These were sold from September 2009 through September 2012 for $600 to $800 at U.S. Military Exchanges and select U.S. retailers.
The speaker systems, which were manufactured in Mexico, were designed to operate with U.S. 120-volt electrical outlets and European outlets of 220 volts or higher. The whole system includes two speakers, one bass module, an interface module and accessories, and a remote control device, all of which are black. On the back of the bass module, a product label has the product codes. Only these product codes are part of the recall: 051365, 051470, or 057971.
The recalled products pose a fire hazard because a component in the bass module can fail when used outside of the U.S. in electrical outlets rated at 220 volts or higher. So far, Bose has received two reports of the bass modules bursting into flames when used in 220-volt electrical outlets in Europe.
At any point during the design and manufacturing process, failures regarding safety issues associated with speaker systems may contribute to a product’s hazards, including (1) missteps during the early design stages; (2) inadequate testing to ensure safe performance; and (3) marketing efforts that include inadequate instructions and warnings, or failure to include any relevant cautions. Even one act of negligence during the process from the product’s conception to its sale can cause catastrophic injuries and even wrongful death once the product reaches homes, schools, and workplaces of consumers.
If you or a family member have suffered significant personal injuries as the result of a defective product, contact the law office of Swartz & Swartz, P.C. Call (617) 742-1900 in the Boston area, or for clients in greater Massachusetts, New England, or other states across the U.S., call toll-free at 1-800-545-3732.
About the Author: James Swartz
Keep Reading
Want more? Here are some other blog posts you might be interested in.
Research shows smartphones, lack of pedestrian infrastructure, and other such factors have led to an increase in traffic deaths in the U.S.
Small parts that can harm children are common in many products, even when federal law bans them sometimes.
Research shows that certain types of household and recreational products cause TBIs in children more frequently than others.