Rainbow Vacuum Recall Lawsuit Investigation

About 38,000 Rainbow SRX vacuums were recalled in the United States and Canada on June 17, 2020. Rexair recalled them after finding the vacuum’s circuit board could spark. This recall applies to Rainbow SRX vacuums built with a specific circuit board, sold through authorized Rainbow distributors nationwide. A spark from that circuit board can start a fire, creating a burn hazard for anyone nearby. Owners should unplug an affected vacuum right away, stop using it, and contact an authorized distributor for a free repair. The recall remains open, and Rexair has reported no injuries connected to the recall so far.

Latest Rainbow Vacuum Recall Updates

June 17, 2020: Rexair Recalls About 38,000 Rainbow SRX Vacuums

Rexair LLC, working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, recalled about 38,000 Rainbow SRX vacuums in the United States and about 4,820 more in Canada under CPSC Recall No. 20-138 [1]. The recall covers Rainbow SRX vacuums, model RHCS19 Type 120, with serial numbers 22003399 through 22077889. The company found the circuit board could spark and create a fire and burn hazard during normal use.

Which Rainbow Vacuums Are Affected?

The recall covers one model of Rainbow SRX vacuum, identified by the following details:

• Model RHCS19 Type 120, the only Rainbow SRX model included in this recall, identified by the rating label on the unit.
• Serial numbers 22003399 through 22077889, found on the side of the vacuum underneath the white barcode near the base.
• Units sold through independent authorized Rainbow distributors nationwide for about $3,200, from June 2019 through June 2020 in the United States.

Owners can match their vacuum’s serial number against this range to confirm whether their unit is included. A number outside the recalled range is not affected.

Why Were the Rainbow Vacuums Recalled?

Rexair recalled the Rainbow SRX vacuums because the circuit board inside each unit can spark. That spark can ignite the vacuum or nearby materials, causing a fire and a burn hazard for the person operating it or standing nearby. Rexair worked with the CPSC and Health Canada to recall every unit built with the affected circuit board, matching the recall to the full range of serial numbers covered by the notice. The company has not published a separate technical explanation beyond the spark hazard itself, and no additional recall or expansion has followed the original June 2020 notice for this model.

Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses

Rexair and the two agencies received two reports of a Rainbow SRX vacuum catching fire as of May 25, 2020. One report came from the United States and one from Canada, according to Health Canada’s notice [2]. Neither incident caused a reported injury, and the figures reflect only what the company and regulators had logged when the notices were issued in June 2020. CPSC’s notice does not name a state or province for either report, and Rexair has not published updated incident figures since the original announcement. Neither the CPSC notice nor the Health Canada notice published property-damage figures or repair-cost totals alongside these reports, according to each agency’s published recall record.

What Should Consumers Do?

Owners of an affected Rainbow SRX vacuum should take the following steps:

1. Unplug the vacuum immediately and stop using it, even if it has not yet sparked or shown any visible damage.
2. Check the serial number on the side of the unit, underneath the white barcode, against the recalled range 22003399 through 22077889.
3. Contact the authorized Rainbow distributor listed on the original sales receipt to arrange a free repair of the circuit board.
4. If the receipt or distributor cannot be located, use the online distributor locator at rainbowsystem.com or call Rexair’s recall hotline at 833-940-2775.
5. Do not attempt to open or repair the circuit board without an authorized technician, since improper handling can increase the fire risk.
6. Report any fire, spark, or burn incident involving the vacuum to the Consumer Product Safety Commission through SaferProducts.gov.

Other Recalls, Warnings, or International Actions

Health Canada issued its own recall notice for the same circuit-board defect, covering the same roughly 4,820 units in Canada already noted above. The Canadian notice also points to the same circuit-board defect described in Rexair’s own repair notice, which explains the fire and burn hazard in the company’s own words [3].

Legal Options

No lawsuit, class action, or multidistrict litigation over the Rainbow SRX vacuum recall had been filed as of the most recent check of court and panel records. No Rainbow SRX case is listed among the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation‘s pending actions [4]. A recall does not automatically establish that Rexair is liable for a fire or injury. Schmidt and Clark reviews individual claims involving a burn injury or property damage from a Rainbow SRX vacuum fire, evaluating the specific facts before advising whether a legal option exists.

Filing Deadlines

Deadlines for filing a legal claim over a fire, burn injury, or property damage come from state law, not from the recall itself. They vary depending on where the person lives. Some states start the clock on the date of the incident, while others count from when the damage was discovered, so the same fire can carry different filing windows in different states. Missing a filing deadline can end a claim even when the underlying facts are strong, so anyone considering a claim over this recall should talk to a lawyer promptly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Rexair’s Recall Hotline Hours?

Rexair’s recall hotline is staffed from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, so owners can reach a representative about the free circuit-board repair during those hours. Outside that window, the online distributor locator named above remains available at any time to start the same process.

When Did Sales of the Rainbow SRX Vacuum End in Canada?

Sales of the recalled Rainbow SRX vacuum ended earlier in Canada than in the United States. Authorized Rainbow distributors stopped selling the vacuum in Canada in April 2020, while U.S. sales continued through June 2020, when Rexair’s recall began.

When Were the Recalled Rainbow SRX Vacuums Manufactured?

Rexair’s own recall notice states the affected Rainbow SRX vacuums were manufactured between May 22, 2019, and January 15, 2020. Rexair used that production window to define which units carry the recalled circuit board.

Is the Rainbow SRX Vacuum Recall Still Active?

Yes, the Rainbow SRX vacuum recall is still active. As of September 25, 2026, Rexair’s distributor locator and recall hotline were still operating, and no closure or termination of CPSC Recall No. 20-138 had been announced.

Can I Report a Rainbow SRX Vacuum Incident to the CPSC by Phone?

Yes, owners can report a spark, fire, or burn incident involving a Rainbow SRX vacuum to the CPSC by phone at 800-638-2772, in addition to the online SaferProducts.gov option already listed. The agency’s own recall notice provided the hotline number as a reporting channel for consumers.

What Happens If I No Longer Have My Rainbow SRX Vacuum’s Sales Receipt?

If you no longer have your Rainbow SRX vacuum’s sales receipt, you can still get a free repair. Use Rexair’s online distributor locator by serial number, or call Rexair’s general customer support line at (248) 643-7222 for help finding your distributor.

References

1. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2020/Rexair-Recalls-to-Repair-Rainbow-SRX-Vacuums-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards
2. https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/rainbowr-srxr-vacuums-recalled-due-fire-hazard
3. https://rainbowsystem.com/srx-120-repair/
4. https://www.jpml.uscourts.gov/pending-mdls-0