TOKYO – Japan’s leading toilet maker Toto Ltd. is offering free repairs for 180,000 bidet toilets after wiring problems caused several to catch fire, the company said Monday.
The electric bidet accessory of Toto’s Z series caught fire in three separate incidents between March 2006 and March 2007, according to company spokeswoman Emi Tanaka. The bidet sent up smoke in 26 other incidents, the company said.
“Fortunately, nobody was using the toilets when the fire broke out and there were no injuries,” Tanaka said. “The fire would have been just under your buttocks.”
Toto has been a pioneer in high-tech toilets fitted with pressurized water sprayers – a standard fixture in Japanese homes.
The popular Z series features a pulsating massage spray, a power dryer, built-in deodorizing filter, the “Tornado Wash” flush and a lid that opens and closes automatically. Prices range from $1,680 to $2,600.
The model is not sold overseas.
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