Anne Bucher  |  June 28, 2016

Category: Consumer News

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Dometic RV Refrigerator DefectDometic Corporation has been hit with a class action lawsuit alleging several of its gas absorption refrigerators designed for use in recreational vehicles and boats have a design defect that poses a dangerous fire risk.

The Dometic RV refrigerator defect class action lawsuit was filed in Florida federal court by plaintiffs Brandy Varner, Michael Link, Robert Corwin, Donald Shepherd, Bobbie Shepherd, Michael Acosta and Ann Field.

They claim that Dometic designed, manufactured and sold several models of gas absorption refrigerators, “all of which share common design and manufacturing defects that create a substantial risk of fire when the refrigerators are used as designed and for their intended purpose during their expected usable life.”

The Dometic gas absorption refrigerators have boiler tubes in the cooling units that are prone to premature corrosion or fatigue failure, according to the RV refrigerator defect class action lawsuit.

These boiler tubes can allegedly develop microscopic cracks that cause flammable chemicals and gasses to leak, posing a serious fire risk if they are close to a heat source.

Even if the refrigerator does not catch on fire, the unit is ruined and must be replaced at significant cost when a leak occurs. The Dometic class action lawsuit claims that hundreds, if not thousands, of cooling units have developed leaks, and a significant number of units have been involved in fires.

According to the RV refrigerator defect class action lawsuit, the design flaws “should come as no surprise to Dometic,” as a similar class action lawsuit against Dometic’s main competitor, Norcold Inc., was recently settled for $36 million. The Norcold RV refrigerator defect class action settlement was preliminarily approved in March.

The plaintiffs claim that Dometic has known about the RV refrigerator defect since at least 2001 but failed to notify purchasers that the units posed a significant risk of fire in the vicinity of a heat source.

“Rather than eliminate the design and manufacturing defects contained in its gas absorption refrigerators – or provide an adequate warning of potential safety risks to users of the products – Defendant instead sought to conceal and minimize the dangers inherent in the refrigerators’ design and operation through two limited recalls that they initiated,” the Dometic RV refrigerator class action lawsuit says.

The first Dometic RV refrigerator recall was reportedly initiated in 2006 and the second was initiated in 2008.

For both recalls, Dometic reportedly represented that the defects could be fixed with a simple retrofit device. However, according to the RV refrigerator defect class action lawsuit, the recalls and retrofits did not fix the dangerous defect or reduce the risk of fire.

The plaintiffs say that they would not have purchased the allegedly defective refrigerators, or would have paid far less for them, if they had known about the dangerous defect.

They seek to represent a Class of consumers who purchased or owned a defective Dometic gas absorption refrigerator within the last 10 years, or as long as the applicable statute of limitations allows. They also want to certify Florida, California, Minnesota, Georgia and North Carolina subclasses.

A similar RV refrigerator defect class action lawsuit was filed against Dometic in April.

The plaintiffs are represented by Adam M. Moskowitz, Gail A McQuilkin, Robert J. Neary and Stephanie Moncada Gomez of Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton LLP; Hart L. Robinovitch, Christopher P. Ridout and Caleb Marker of Zimmerman Reed LLP; and Jack Scarola of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley PA.

The Dometic RV Refrigerator Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Brandy Varner, et al. v. Dometic Corporation, Case No. 1:16-cv-22482, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

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2 thoughts onDometic Class Action Says RV Refrigerators Pose Fire Risk

  1. LeeAnn Tabor says:

    My motor home caught on fire this weekend. it was a gas refrigerator.2018 Holiday rambler ambassador. How do I find out if my unit was listed?

  2. Warren Morris says:

    What models does this cover? I have model NDR1292 that boiler just cracked and spread anti corrosive all over.

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