Product
Whirlpool WFE510S0AS0
Category
Kitchen Appliance
Report number
20171211-F0C70-2147394675
Ownership age
About 32 months to failure (from purchase date when reported)
Failure type
Fire / ignition
Incident narrative
SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20171211-F0C70-2147394675. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Product: Whirlpool WFE510S0AS0 (Whirlpool Free Standing Range, stainless steel and black). Incident: Potential problem with Whirlpool Free standing range model: WFE510S0AS0 Our range is a little more than two years old. We just did a clean cycle and just as it was ending we heard a loud POP. After checking the range out I found that the left two burners no longer worked. Since the range is out of warranty I took it apart to see if I could find the problem. I found that one of the main feed wires to the burners had burned through and shorted to the range metal frame. Actually burned a hole in the metal (see photos). The cause of the problem is that the wires are squeezed to the metal frame by the back of the range. As the unit gets very hot during the clean cycle it melts the wire insulation causing a short circuit. I fixed the broken wire and the burners work fine again. I covered the entire metal area near the wires with electrical tape to add extra insulation. I reported this problem to Whirlpool today as I believe it is a design flaw that can result in a fire or electric shock hazard.
Official report number: 20171211-F0C70-2147394675. Search that ID on SaferProducts.gov or match it in the CPSC public database export to verify this record.