There is now a massive recall of about 540,000 home improvement books (including some by Southern Living and the Popular Sunset Home Repair Handbook) that contain errors in the technical diagrams for various wiring instructions. The errors could potentially lead consumers to incorrectly install or repair electrical wiring, posing an electrical shock or fire hazard to consumers. Specifics aren’t, unfortunately being given, but there was already a voluntary recall of around 951,000 books back in January of this year which had a similar problem. The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of product: Home improvement books under Sunset and Southern Living brands (various, see below)
Units: About 540,000 (about 951,000 home improvement books with similar faulty wiring instructions were recalled in January 2010)
Publisher: Oxmoor House, Inc., of Birmingham, Ala.
Hazard: The books contain errors in the technical diagrams and wiring instructions that could lead consumers to incorrectly install or repair electrical wiring, posing an electrical shock or fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents/injuries: None reported.
Description: The recall involves the following 17 home improvement books. These titles are out of print and were last sold by retailers in 2005. However, they are likely still on bookshelves in consumers’ homes.
| TITLE | ISBN-10 | ISBN-13 | PUBLICATION DATE |
| FIX-IT MAPS: REPLACING SWITCHES AND RECEPTACLES |
0-376-07007-2 | 978-0-376-07007-4 | JANUARY 2000 |
| SOUTHERN LIVING BASIC HOME REPAIRS |
0-376-09052-9 | 978-0-376-09052-2 | JANUARY 1999 |
| SOUTHERN LIVING BASIC WIRING (2ND ED.) SOUTHERN LIVING BASIC HOME WIRING ILLUSTRATED (1ST ED.) |
0-376-09054-5 0-376-09041-3 |
978-0-376-09054-6 978-0-376-0-90416 |
JANUARY 1999 JUNE 1992 |
| SOUTHERN LIVING BATHROOMS PLANNING & REMODELING |
0-376-09055-3 | 978-0-376-09055-3 | JANUARY 1999 |
| SOUTHERN LIVING HOME LIGHTING |
0-376-09062-6 | 978-0-376-09062-1 | JANUARY 1999 |
| SOUTHERN LIVING KITCHENS PLANNING & REMODELING |
0-376-09067-7 | 978-0-376-09067-6 | JANUARY 2000 |
| SUNSET BASIC WIRING (3RD ED.) SUNSET BASIC HOME WIRING ILLUSTRATED (1ST & 2ND ED.) |
0-376-01584-5 0-376-01095-9 0-376-01092-4 |
978-0-376-01584-6 978-0-376-01095-7 978-0-376-01092-6 |
MARCH 1995 1987 1977 |
| SOUTHERN LIVING COMPLETE PATIO |
0-376-09081-2
0-376-09044-8 |
978-0-376-09081-2 978-0-376-09044-7 |
JANUARY 2000 SEPTEMBER 1992 |
| SUNSET BATHROOMS PLANNING & REMODELING |
0-376-01329-X 0-376-01294-3 0-376-01293-5 0-376-01326-5 0-376-01323-0 0-376-01322-2 0-376-01321-4 |
978-0-376-01329-3 978-0-376-01294-4 978-0-376-01293-7 978-0-376-01326-2 978-0-376-01323-1 978-0-376-01322-4 978-0-376-01321-7 |
JANUARY 2000 APRIL 1994 OCTOBER 1983 SEPTEMBER 1980 1975 1969 1963 |
| SUNSET HOME LIGHTING |
0-376-01308-7 | 978-0-376-01308-8 | JANUARY 1998 |
| SUNSET HOME LIGHTING HANDBOOK |
0-376-01313-3 0-376-01312-5 |
978-0-376-01313-2 978-0-376-01312-5 |
MAY 1988 OCTOBER 1982 |
| SUNSET HOME REMODELING ILLUSTRATED |
0-376-01288-9 | 978-0-376-01288-3 | SEPTEMBER 1987 |
| SUNSET KITCHENS PLANNING & REMODELING |
0-376-01347-8 0-376-01346-X 0-376-01345-1 0-376-01335-4 0-376-01334-6 0-376-01333-8 NOT AVAILABLE NOT AVAILABLE |
978-0-376-01347-7 978-0-376-01346-0 978-0-376-01345-3 978-0-376-01335-4 978-0-376-01334-7 978-0-376-01333-0 NOT AVAILABLE NOT AVAILABLE |
JANUARY 2000 APRIL 1994 OCTOBER 1983 MAY 1905 1974 1967 1962 1955 |
| SUNSET BASIC HOME REPAIR HANDBOOK (HC EDITION) |
0-376-01275-7 | 978-0-376-01275-3 | AUGUST 1987 |
Sold at: Home improvement stores and bookstores nationwide from 1955 through December 2005 for between $5 and $20.
Printed in: United States
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these books and contact Oxmoor House for a full refund.
Consumer contact: For additional information, contact oxmoor house toll-free at (866) 696-7602 anytime, or visit the firm’s web site at www.sunsetrecall.com.
