Kidde smoke alarm recall issued for nearly 500,000 that could fail

Nathan Bomey | USA TODAY

Fire safety product maker Kidde is recalling nearly 500,000 smoke alarms that could be faulty.

The company issued a recall for about 452,000 alarms in the U.S. and 40,000 in Canada after discovering that a yellow cap potentially left on during production could cover a sensor and prevent it from detecting smoke.

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Kidde said it had identified one report of a yellow cap on an alarm before it was installed in the buyer's home. The company said it was not aware of any incidents or injuries connected to the defect.

The recall affects the Kidde dual-sensor smoke alarm models PI2010 and PI9010. If the date code printed on the back of the alarm falls between Sept. 10, 2016, and Oct. 13, 2017, the model is affected.

"Consumers should remove the alarm from the wall/ceiling and visually inspect it through the opening on the side of the alarm for the presence of a yellow cap," Kidde warned in an alert through the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

But the company warned consumers not to take apart the alarm, open the casing or remove the yellow cap.

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"If a yellow cap is present, the consumer should immediately contact Kidde to receive instructions and request a free replacement smoke alarm," the company said. "They should remove and discard the recalled smoke alarm only after they receive and install the replacement alarm."

Kidde said that if there's no yellow cap, "consumers should reinstall the smoke alarm and no further action is needed."

The device was sold in stores throughout the country, including Walmart, Home Depot and Menards, as well as online through Amazon.com and other sellers.

It was made by Fyrnetics Limited in China.

Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.