Amazon has announced a massive recall of a version of its Ring doorbell, according to a notice posted on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website. The recall involves the Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Generation) with the model number 5UM5E5. The reason for the recall is because the “video doorbell’s battery can overheat when the incorrect screws are used for installation, posing fire and burn hazards,” according to the CPSC.
The recall was initiated after Ring received a total of 85 incidents of the doorbell having incorrect screws installed. Twenty-three of those incidents resulted in the doorbell igniting, causing “minor property damage.” Ring also received eight reports of minor burns to people.
Though the recall involves 350,000 units sold in the U.S. and 8,700 sold in Canada, only select units of the Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Generation) are affected by the recall. Those units were sold at Amazon.com, Ring.com, and at third-party electronics and home goods stores across the country from June 2020 to October 2020.
To find out if your Ring doorbell is part of the recall, you can enter its serial number on Ring’s website here. If your doorbell is one of the ones affected by the recall, you should immediately download revised installation instructions for the affected unit here and reach out to Ring with any questions.
Update: A Ring spokesperson sent the following statement:
“The safety of our customers is our top priority. We [have and continue to work cooperatively with the CPSC on this issue, and] have contacted customers who purchased a Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) to ensure they received the updated user manual and follow the device installation instructions. Customers do not need to return their devices.”