With many grey nomads still extremely anxious about the safety of their Swift 500 Series Caravan Gas Cookers, the company has issued another update.
The Swift Appliance Group says that, after further investigation and discussion with the state regulators, it can confirm that 500 Series Caravan Gas Cookers manufactured and supplied after June 1, 2020, are safe for ordinary use without restriction.
However, it warns that 500 Series Caravan Gas Cookers manufactured and supplied between January 1, 2019, and June 1, 2020, must not be used while it gathers more information.
And it stresses that 500 Series Caravan Gas Cookers manufactured and supplied before January 1, 2019, ‘must not be used except for the electrical elements while Swift gathers more information’.
“At Swift, customer safety is our highest priority,” the company says. “To ensure our appliances are safe, we are conducting further investigations and taking every precautionary step possible.”
It thanks customers for their patience, and says updates will be communicated to customers and manufacturers, and will posted on its website shortly.
Many grey nomads report being frustrated at the lack an update coming from the company in recent days, and some have complained that phones were not answered and emails not responded to in a timely manner.
It has been a torrid few weeks for the many caravanners who have Swift 500 Series cookers since news first broke that a safety alert had been issued.
The alert and subsequent recall followed a serious accident in New South Wales where a Queensland-based caravan owner reportedly suffered severe burn injuries from using their cooker while camping.
When the front left burner ignited, the user observed the flame was only on ‘simmer’ despite the control knob being on full. The user moved the cooking pan to the rear right side burner and used the front left burner as a simmer.
Soon after there was an explosion, engulfing the user in flames and causing severe burn injuries.
Mine is 2011
Losing patience.
Yes
Is the manufactured date stamped on the oven?
Yes. Lift the glass cover. Look up under the left top corner. There is a sticker with model and manufacture date.
Mine is a 2011 build, but it was repaired in about 2017/18 including replacement of the suspect tube
That may well be the case BUT check with your van insurer to ensure that you are still covered because I know of someone who had their hoses changed and upgraded only to be told by their insurer that they are not covered if they use the stove until absolutely cleared to do so by Swift. Also that clearance MUST be in writing and a copy supplied to the insurer for their files. Be very
careful !
We had a problem a few year ago where I could smell gas in the van, it turned out to be the shut of valve when the lid was down wasn’t closing off. Took the gas technician a long time to isolate the problem and a bit of time to convince my husband I could smell gas… series 500 caravan year 2012
Same with ours. Year 2016/17
Ours is a June 2018. The lack of and incomplete information is very frustrating.
Mine is a 2015 model
Yes 2011 4 Burner gas Hotplate
Yes
Mine will go in the bin next week.
We have just been told that ours is also in the recall. Thank you Caravan Doctor.
Ours is in the recall range. Frustrating to say the least.
Yes. Installed 2012. Very anxious.
Yes have 2016
Ours is 2016. Starting to get frustrated.
Yes
Yes we have a 500 series cooktop. The large burner on the right rest does not work very well.
Our back right burner won’t stay on, so definitely worried and frustrated
It’s about money – Swift want to minimise the cost of fixing the problem and government agencies don’t want to do their job of policing business to make sure the products they sell are safe. In the mean time we’ll just have to sit and wait and look on in anger as nothing gets done.
Yes. 2013 model.
Mine is 2018
We have a 2016 ban cannot see on label the date as has worn off or I’ve cleaned over it
Yes, 2018. Question, how do we cook whilst free camping? Kimberlies and top of WA. Now having to try to stay in caravan parks which are fully booked.
Perhaps buy a singje or double gas stove with either cartridges or a refillable gas bottle..
Cheaper than paying camping fees…..
Yes we do one these just need to know is going to happen
Going to check ours. This is what, was happening to us. Thanks. Pearl.
Yes we have a Swift listed cooker. Gas turned doff for now awaiting further developments
Mine is 2010 so hope they hurry up. We camp a lot off grid so no power for mixrowave etc.
Ours is 2010 also but by reports they are not faulty or have I read it wrong?
Yes ours is mfg 2013 installed in a 2015 caravan
2015 model
Mine is 2013
Ours is 4 to 5 years old, rarely used as we mostly BBQ outside, thinking if it poses a risk, replace it now and get compensated later….your thoughts?
No problems in 12 yrs
Ours blew up on us in 2020, 2010 van. Got on to Swift when we got home, but had to buy a new stove from them, so will have to check if the new one is on the recall.
Ours is May 2018 build. But Swift website lust certain models and now nothing before 2019. Very frustrating
Ours is a 2014
2017 model when will we be told they are going to fix the problem
Ours is a June 2014 delivery … I believe we have copper piping whereas the ones with alloy piping are the problem?!? Who knows? No one gets back to you!!! .. very disappointing for all of us who have Swift stoves!!! … I just wish Swift would pull their finger out and make a decision to keep us all safe … it’s time the support was returned!!!!
Just replace them
Ours is 2011. 3 gas burners and 1 electric
Ours is 2016. Swift had a list of model numbers that were not to be used, ours was not on this list so this says ours is safe. However this article is now saying that it should not be used!
Swift needs to supply model numbers urgently so people know if theirs is safe or not!
This company is an Australian owned manufacturer. In the past the government has done nothing for Australian manufacturers except to make it near on impossible for them to survive.
The last thing we want is this Australian manufacturer to go under.
The Victorian and/or Federal Government need to ensure this Australian Company survives.
Can they tell us what the issue is so we can get them fixed
We have a 2013 Hamilton Outbacker. It was replaced after a mishap in November 2020. The manufacturers date stamp of installation is 27 July 2020. So we are good to go.
Have a 2009 Traveler Caravan with the 500 model Swift. Swift still haven’t replied to us. Yes very frustrating. The other problem we have with ours is the Electric cooking plate.,I never use this as it takes to long to cool down but turned this on and we believe this was the cause of our safety switch shutting off. Re checked and same thing happened. Have turned the electricity completely off and unplugged to the unit. Hope Swift can answer this.
Yes, April 2015.
Hope there is some clarification soon as to what will happen.
Shame this happened right in the middle of winter and the peak travelling season!
We camp offgrid extensively, lucky we have an induction cooker abd tge Weber!
Surely there is no doubt that there is an issue with those models listed and manufactured prior to January 2019, as is mine and they should be replaced
Why would there be an issue before those dates? If they mention 2 dates, why would there be an issue before and after those dates?
Swift are not helping themselves. Safety studies should have been completed by now. We have also tried calling them as well lodging a claim on their website, and they can’t even reply to us. Why are ovens built on the 2nd June Ok? What changed? Our RV agent isn’t getting any more out of Swift either. Pretty poor service Swift.
2013 model caravan and no tick to tell what model on the cook to is it does have a serial number
Manufacturing company needs to move faster to solve this dangerous issue. Tens of thousands of vans on the road throughout Australia at the moment and lots of these people probably don’t even know they have a dangerous stove.
22 years on and still using same type of pipe if they had problems in 2010 wouldnt u think they would have fixed the problem,just like big company’s sweep it under the carpet and hope it goes away .ours is a 2017 mod