Consumer Product Safety

Accident Information Special News 20 (The recall of the Matsushita color television)

April 15, 1998

Announcement of Color TV of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Free Inspection, Etc.)

In April 15, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. decided to release the announcement (free inspection and repair on 69 (in total) newspapers such as Asahi, Yomiuri, Mainichi, Sankei and Nikkei), because it was clarified that some of the color TVs (television picture tube) of the above company, which have been used for 11 years or more have possibility of ignition due to partial damage of a high-pressure component having a specific structure or a printed circuit board.If there are any consultation concerning to the following products, please tell the user to make contact with the sales shop where the user bought the TV or the contact desk of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

(Products)
Trade Name: Color TV (television picture tube)
Model: Manufactured Fiscal Year:
TH14-N9(N) (Starting manufacture in the fiscal year 1983)
TH19-L55GR
TH21-H55GR
TH15-M3R (Starting manufacture in the fiscal year 1984)
TH15-M4VR
TH19-L1VR
TH11-S29 (Starting manufacture in the fiscal year 1985)
TH14-N39R
TH15-M15VR
TH15-M5G
TH15-M8VR
TH15-M9VR
TH19-L6VR
TH19-L7VR
TH19-L10VR
TH21-H7VR
TH19-L9VR (Starting manufacture in the fiscal year 1986)
TH19-L25AV
TH21-H25AV
TH-29A1
TH-26A1 (Starting manufacture in the fiscal year 1987)
Manufactured by:
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
Period of Manufacture:
From January 1983 to June 1988
Number of Objects:
Approximately 987,000
(Estimated Number of Remainders: Approximately 50,000)
Accident Occurrence Cases:
Two cases
Contact Number:
0102 - 072 - 612 (Free dial)

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd has released the announcement on another model in 1990 and also calls the attention about it to the user to make contact therewith.

The model of which announcement has been released in 1990 is as follows.

(Product: Announcement of 1990)

Trade Name:
Color TV (television picture tube)
Model:
TH19-L4VR
TH18-C22VR

1. Outlines of Accidents

  1. (1)TH19-L6VR
    In February 1997, an accident of igniting from the product in Hiroshima Prefecture
  2. (2)TH15-M4VR
    In January 1998, an accident of igniting from the product in Hiroshima Prefecture

Back to top

2. Origins of Accidents

As for the accidents of the above 1.(1) and (2), the aging deterioration of a cover of a flyback transformer causes a crack in the outer hull and the accumulated soot and dust accelerate the discharge from a secondary side high voltage part of the flyback transformer so that the discharge combusted the transformer body, peripheral components, and the back cover.

  • * To reduce the fire accident caused by the television, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry revised the technical standards of the Electrical Appliance and Material Control Law in 1990 so as to severely demand and regulate the flame resistance of the flyback transformer, its peripheral part, and the printed circuit board.

Back to top

3. Contents of Free Inspection and Repair

For the preventive measures for the accident reoccurrence of the above 1 (1) and (2), the following are planned to be implemented.

  • 1.Cleaning of the high-voltage part in the circumference of the flyback transformer
  • 2.Application of silicon rubber compound to the peripheral part of the flyback focus block.
  • 3.Cutting of the boss of the back cover.
  • * The inspection shall be performed for the accident prevention on a model whose soldering part is estimated to cause the aging deterioration due to the long use.

Back to top

4. Measures Taken by Ministry of International Trade and Industry

  1. (1)The National Institute of Technology and Evaluation in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry obtained the accidental product in February 1997 and performed the test for settling accident information as of May 7, 1997.
  2. (2)Based on the test report from the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation, the competent Ministry examined the accident to unfold the origin and the results are expressed in the above 2.
    The Ministry exchanged opinions on the relation of the fact with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Responding thereto, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., the manufacturer of the appropriate color TV, spontaneously released to plan the announcement (free inspection and announcement) to the journalists.

Therefore, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry instructs the thorough inspection and repair and watches their progresses.

Contact us

 Consumer Product Safety Public Relations Division  Product Safety Technology Center  National Institute of Technology and Evaluation
Phone number:+81-6-6612-2066
Fax number:+81-6-6612-1617
Address:1-22-16 Nankokita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 5590034, Japan MAP