Maytag (owned by Whirlpool) is recalling 1.6 million refrigerators because of a potential fire hazard. Apparently, “.. an electrical failure in the (Start) relay (Overload) component that turns on the refrigerator’s compressor can cause overheating and pose a serious fire hazard.”
From the recall notice at the CPSC site:
The recall includes certain Maytag®, Jenn-Air®, Amana®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand side by side and top freezer refrigerators. The affected refrigerators were manufactured in black, bisque, white and stainless steel. They have model and serial numbers printed on a label located on the top middle or left upper side of the refrigerator liner and have the following model and serial number combinations:
There are many of us who have had the same problem with the relay on Kenmore Coldspot side-by-sides. I have model 106.53669300 Manufacture date: 2003.10
Some people lost their homes to fire because of this but Sears has not done a recall!
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/kenmore-refrigerator-c48843.html
I was lucky that the refrigerator tripped the breaker (the refrigerator plug was improperly wired into a GFI circuit that controlled one whole wall of kitchen plugs).