What Can You Do if Your Gas Stove Knobs Turn Too Easily?

Loose gas stove knobs and gas stove knobs turning too easily are a terrifying concern of consumers who report that the issues have led to gas leaks and even home fires. The knobs are also the subject of investigations into the safety of stoves sold by several manufacturers.

Consumers Warn of Loose Gas Stove Knobs

Indeed, there are dozens of complaints on Consumer Affairs about loose gas stove knobs that turn too easily. These complaints led one local news source, WSOCTV 9 out of Charlotte, N.C., to investigate further, finding that 20 consumers reported loose gas stove knobs on a particular LG stove. LG also reportedly recalled over 150,000 stoves for the same issue in 2012.

The problem is not limited to LG stoves, however. The following companies have also reportedly received complaints about gas stove knobs turning too easily:

• LG
• Whirlpool
• GE
• Electrolux (parent company of Frigidaire)
• Samsung
• Viking Range
• Jenn-Air
• Maytag
• Amana

Consumers say that they have experienced their gas stoves turning on after lightly brushing or bumping the knobs. They also express concern that young children can easily turn on stoves if gas knobs turn too easily.

One woman who reportedly came home to the smell of gas reports that investigators told her it was coming from her stove.

“They said that the back burner [of the stove] had just been leaking gas and I hadn’t used the stove honestly in days,” she told Boston 25 News. “One of us must have just bumped it lightly. If I would have been gone longer, I mean I just happened to be gone for two hours, if I had been gone longer, I don’t know what could have happened.”

Solutions if Gas Stove Knobs Turn Too Easily

According to Boston News 25, one easy solution is to use gas stove knob locks to ensure that nobody can inadvertently turn on the appliance. Reportedly, these devices cost less than $10 and come in a variety to match kitchen décor.

Chicago Tribune reporters reviewed various stove knob options and recommend consumers consider the following factors:

• The size and placement of the knob
• Removal of the cover
• How the knob is released
• Level of heat resistance
• Cleaning options
• Design and color
• Cost

In addition, experts told reporters that consumers should be sure to have working smoke detectors. Additionally, consumers should be sure to leave the house and call 911 if they ever smell gas in the home.

Finally, one solution is to consider replacing the stove. While many consumers have complained of loose gas stove knobs, no company has proposed a solution yet.

Gas Stove Knobs Loose Leading to NY Fire

In 2017, a child was able to turn on a GE gas stove, reportedly due to loose knobs and lack of maintenance. The New York Post reports that a three-year-old was playing with the knobs, leading to an inferno that killed 13 people. Reportedly, the child’s mother says that she complained to the landlord about the issue, but the issue had not been addressed.

Companies Address Issue

Reportedly, none of the appliance manufacturers has proposed to fix loose gas stove knobs yet, though some have issued recalls.

In fact, one company, Samsung, has recommended customers consider “third party products” to address the issue of stove knobs turning too easily. On its website, Samsung notes that it meets “international standards” for stove knobs, while also pointing out that some of its products come with child safety features that “will not prevent the knobs from turning on the cooktop.”

For its part, LG has reportedly made the following statements in response to consumer complaints about loose gas stove knobs: “LG manufactures this gas range to meet or exceed all relevant standards” and “LG takes very seriously the concerns of our customers and uses such feedback on an on-going basis to evaluate and improve our products.”

Loose Gas Stove Knob Lawsuits

Some consumers have turned to product defect lawsuits to hold appliance manufacturers accountable for gas stove knobs that turn too easily. In 2015, General Electric was hit with a lawsuit alleging the loose knobs on the stove were a design defect.

“The defects make the defective gas range unsuitable for its intended use, and unable to operate as sold or intended,” stated the complaint. “The defects create dangerous, volatile conditions for consumers, who are exposed to inadvertent fire ignition, unattended and uncontrolled gas fumes, or both.”

Electrolux was hit with a lawsuit in 2017 claiming it had known the gas stove knobs on its products were too loose, but failed to do anything about the problem.

In the aftermath of the deadly Bronx fire started by a child playing with stove knobs, family members of the victims reportedly lodged a number of lawsuits against the building’s management company and owner, as well as the city. According to an attorney representing some of the plaintiffs, the knobs on the stoves in the building were loose and required no pressure to turn on.