SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Fire / ignition

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20260712-8182C-2147314033. Severity: Injury, First Aid Received by Non-Medical Professional. Product: Frigidaire Professional FPHD2491KF0 (Built-in under-counter dishwasher, stainless steel front, standard 24-inch width. Frigidaire Professional series. Electronic touch controls located on the top edge of the door. Stainless steel interior tub with a lower heating element at the base of the tub used for water heating and drying. Approximately 15 years old, purchased around 2010. The dishwasher malfunctioned with the heating element running continuously and failing to shut off, causing internal plastic parts and dishes to melt and overheating the surrounding). Incident: My Frigidaire Professional built-in dishwasher, Model No. FPHD2491KF0, Serial No. KH00301870, manufactured by Electrolux Home Products, malfunctioned and overheated. The heating element ran continuously and did not shut off through the normal cycle controls. The dishwasher was loaded normally with glasses, ceramic plates, metal utensils, and plastic bowls, and started on the Normal wash cycle for routine household dishwashing. Sometime after the cycle should have ended, the unit became stuck with the heating element running continuously. It continued heating for an estimated 1 to 4 hours. I discovered the malfunction when I smelled a strong melting and burning plastic odor. Upon opening the dishwasher, I found that plastic items inside had melted. A clear plastic cup melted and collapsed completely, plastic bowls warped and deformed, and internal dishwasher plastic parts including the filter assembly showed heat damage. The countertop directly above the dishwasher was too hot to touch. The heating element itself shows heat-tint discoloration and oxidation along its length, consistent with overheating. No injuries occurred during the malfunction itself. Afterward, while inspecting the unit with the controls off, I touched the heating element believing it had co