SONICARE AIRFLOSS

Description of Event or Problem

I PURCHASED A PHILIPS SONICARE AIRFLOSS (MODEL NUMBER HX8140, SERIAL NUMBER (B)(4)) SIX OR SEVEN YEARS AGO. IT WORKED FINE FOR THE FIRST TWO MONTHS, BUT THEN IT MADE A WHIRRING SOUND FOLLOWED BY A FEW CLICKS WHEN I PRESS THE MAIN BUTTON. I STOPPED USING IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS UNTIL THIS WEEK WHEN I DECIDED TO TRY IT AGAIN. IT WOULDN'T TURN ON, PROBABLY SINCE THE BATTERY HAD DRAINED AFTER YEARS OF NON-USE, AND THE PHILIPS TROUBLESHOOTING WEBSITE INSTRUCTED ME TO FIRST LET IT CHARGE FOR 24 HOURS. WHEN I PUT IT ON THE CHARGER, HOWEVER, THE DEVICE MADE A HIGH- PITCHED WHINE WITH NO INDICATION FROM THE POWER BUTTON LED. THE BASE OF THE HANDLE (WHERE THE POWER IS WIRELESSLY TRANSFERRED) BEGAN TO GET HOT. IF I HAD LEFT IT CHARGING FOR THE RECOMMENDED 24 HOURS, I'M CONCERNED IT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. I CONTACTED PHILIPS, BUT THEY WERE ONLY CONCERNED WITH TELLING ME THAT THE TWO-YEAR WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND THEY COULDN'T REPLACE THE PRODUCT, EVEN AFTER I ARGUED THAT IT HAD BROKEN AFTER TWO MONTHS. THEY TOLD ME TO PURCHASE A NEW DEVICE AND DISPOSE OF THE DEFECTIVE ONE. LOOKING AT ONLINE REVIEWS OF THE AIRFLOSS, THIS APPEARS TO HAPPEN TO THE MAJORITY OF UNITS SOLD, AND IF THE OTHER CUSTOMERS FOLLOW THE TROUBLESHOOTING INSTRUCTIONS AFTER AN EXTENDED STORAGE PERIOD, I'M CONCERNED IT MIGHT START AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. RETAILER: (B)(6) PHARMACY. RETAILER STATE: (B)(6). PURCHASE DATE: (B)(6) 2011; THIS DATE IS AN ESTIMATE. THE PRODUCT WAS NOT DAMAGED BEFORE THE INCIDENT. THE PRODUCT WAS NOT MODIFIED BEFORE THE INCIDENT. I KEPT THE PRODUCT IN THE HOPES THAT IT CAN BE RETURNED FOR A REPLACEMENT; I CONTACTED THE MFR TO REPORT THE DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, THEY ONLY OFFERED ME A 20% DISCOUNT ON A REPLACEMENT. (B)(4).