Kenmore Dehumidifier Recall History: 2001, 2012 and 2013

Kenmore dehumidifier recall history covers three separate federal recalls spanning more than a decade — 2001, 2012 and 2013 — and every one of them centers on the same root cause across three different manufacturers: an internal electrical fault in the compressor circuit that can overheat and ignite. This site's own safety notice for dehumidifiers is blunt about it, describing "the extensive recall history of Kenmore-branded dehumidifiers spanning multiple manufacturers and decades," and none of these three recalls has ever had its own guide until now.

Recall	Manufacturer	What was reported
2001 (CPSC #01-130)	LG Electronics	7 overheating reports, 4 with fire and smoke damage, before the recall
2012 (Sears/CPSC)	Not specified by unit maker in this notice	107 confirmed incidents, approximately 795,000 units (35/50/70-pint)
2013 (CPSC/Gree)	Gree Electric Appliances	Part of a wider 12-brand action; over 450 fires and $19 million in damage reported by the 2017 reannouncement across all 12 brands

What Do These Three Recalls Have in Common?

All three trace back to the same failure mode: a fault inside the compressor circuit or its internal wiring that can overheat and, in the worst cases, ignite. That consistency across three different manufacturing partners over more than a decade is exactly why this site's own safety notice treats the entire product category with more caution than a typical appliance, recommending owners check any Kenmore dehumidifier against the recall list regardless of when it was purchased.

Is My Dehumidifier Affected by One of These Recalls?

Check the model and serial number on the label on the back or bottom of the unit against each recall's specific details, since the three recalls cover different manufacturing windows and different model ranges. The 2001 recall specifically names Kenmore model 580.59600890 as the affected Sears unit; the 2012 recall covers 35-, 50- and 70-pint Kenmore dehumidifiers within its manufacturing window; and the 2013 Gree-made units carry the Kenmore logo on the front with manufacturing dates in the 2011–2014 range.

• Find the model and serial label on the back or bottom of the unit — all three recalls key off this information.
• Compare your model number against each recall's affected range, since the three cover different years and manufacturers.
• Check the manufacturing date specifically, not just the purchase date, since a unit can sit in a warehouse or store for a while before sale.
• Use the manufacturer's own recall lookup tools where available — the 2013 recall, for example, is verified through a dedicated lookup site.

What Should I Do If My Dehumidifier Is Affected?

Stop using it immediately and unplug it, since all three of these recalls involve a fire hazard rather than a performance issue, and continued use is exactly the risk each recall exists to stop. Contact the manufacturer or the recall program identified for your specific unit to arrange the remedy, which for these categories of recalls is typically a refund, replacement or free repair rather than a paid service call — this is not a situation to book as a standard repair visit.

1. Unplug the dehumidifier as soon as you confirm it matches an affected model and date range.
2. Do not use it again until the manufacturer's remedy has been completed.
3. Keep the model and serial information on hand when contacting the recall program.
4. Check the unit again periodically even if it doesn't match today — recall databases are sometimes updated with additional affected ranges.

Our Kenmore recalls by model number guide covers the general process of checking any Kenmore appliance against the brand's wider recall history, not just dehumidifiers.

Why Dehumidifiers Get Recalled So Often

Because a dehumidifier's compressor runs for extended stretches, often unattended for hours at a time in a basement or crawlspace, which is exactly the operating pattern that turns a small electrical fault into a serious fire risk before anyone notices something is wrong. A refrigerator or a washer that develops a similar internal fault is far more likely to be noticed quickly, simply because people are in and out of the kitchen and laundry room throughout the day; a dehumidifier tucked in a basement corner can run for days with nobody checking on it directly.

That operating pattern is also why this brand's own dehumidifier safety notice treats the entire category with more caution than most other appliances on this site, and why three separate manufacturers — LG, an unnamed 2012 supplier, and Gree — each produced units that shared the same underlying compressor-circuit vulnerability across more than a decade of production.

If Your Dehumidifier Doesn't Match Any of These Three Recalls

A unit that doesn't match any of the three date ranges or model numbers here is not automatically risk-free, since dehumidifier recalls of this type have continued to surface periodically across the broader appliance industry, not just under the Kenmore name. It's worth periodically re-checking your specific model against the CPSC's own recall database directly, particularly for a dehumidifier that's been running for more than five or six years, since that's roughly the age range where this category of fault tends to appear. Insurance and fire-safety agencies have also flagged dehumidifiers generally, across brands, as a category worth this extra caution precisely because of how many hours they run unattended, so treating the Kenmore-specific history here as one part of a broader habit is a reasonable approach rather than an overreaction, and it costs nothing beyond a few minutes to build into a normal household routine, whether the appliance in question carries the Kenmore name or any other. A basement or crawlspace dehumidifier is worth adding to that same seasonal checklist, right alongside smoke detector batteries and dryer vent inspections, rather than treated as a set-it-and-forget-it appliance.

• Re-check periodically, not just once — recall databases are updated as new incidents are reported.
• Pay attention to the compressor compartment for any unusual heat, smell or discoloration, recalled model or not.
• Unplug any dehumidifier when leaving it unattended for an extended period, such as an overnight trip, as a general precaution.
• Register any newly purchased dehumidifier with the manufacturer so you're notified directly if a future recall applies to it.

Getting Help

A recalled dehumidifier's remedy runs through the manufacturer or the specific recall program, not through a standard paid repair visit — that distinction matters, since attempting a repair on a unit with a known fire-hazard defect is not something a responsible repair service should do. If your dehumidifier turns out not to match any of these three recalls but is showing an unrelated fault, our appliance diagnostics service can take a look, and a visit starts from $89 with the final price confirmed after diagnosis and a written estimate before any work begins.

If you're unsure which recall might apply, or whether your unit is covered at all, book a visit or send us the details and we'll help you check it properly before anything is touched.