Resideo/Honeywell Face Class Action Lawsuit Over Single Data-Bus ‘Defect’ in Control Units
The lawsuit alleges Resideo/Honeywell knew about defects in its burglar and fire alarm system control units but continued to market and sell them.
Inside of the Vista 20P control unit panel. (Image: Combustion Science & Engineering)
TRENTON, N.J. — A class action lawsuit has been filed against Resideo and Honeywell for allegedly selling burglar and fire alarm system control units that that contained “defects, dangers and non-conformities” that the companies knew about.
The alleged defects were found in all combination-listed single data-bus burglar and fire alarm system control units that were manufactured and sold by Honeywell and its former affiliate Resideo. Honeywell spun-off Resideo in 2018.
According to the lawsuit, the defects can lead to an instantaneous and catastrophic failure of the alarm system’s combination-listed control unit during a fire. In this silent and non-functional state, instead of the alarm system warning all occupants inside the home of the fire emergency and the central station, the combination listed control unit fails.
These alleged defects are said to render the control units non-conforming to the minimum standards required by both UL and NFPA 72 Standards. The lawsuit says before the Defendants submitted their equipment to be listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as UL, they were required to verify that their equipment was conforming.
“Defendants concealed these serious defects, dangers and non-conformities from consumers and/or failed to disclose the Alarm System Defects to Plaintiff and the class, while at the same time affirmatively representing the high quality and safety of their control unit systems meeting both UL and NFPA Standards. Defendants failed to remove these Alarm Systems from the marketplace and they failed to take appropriate remedial action, even though Defendants were aware that the single data-bus circuit of their combination listed control units was non-compliant to UL and NFPA regulations,” the lawsuit states.
It continues, “Instead, Defendants marketed and sold their combination listed control units, even though it knew and/or should have known that it was non-conforming and was both defective and dangerous. The Defendants concealed these material defects from consumers who relied on the Defendants combination listed control units for their security and life safety protection but it was to no avail. ”
The specific product named in the lawsuit is Honeywell Vista 20P control unit. Its installation guide “falsely” represents that it complies with the NFPA and its product detail sheet “falsely” states that its control unit complies with UL 985 and UL 1023.
This lawsuit comes on the heels of a class action suit against GE and Carrier for the same alarm system control “defect.”
SSI has reached out to Resideo for comment.
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About the Author
Steve Karantzoulidis, Web/Senior Editor
Steven A. Karantzoulidis is the Web Editor for Security Sales & Integration. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a degree in Communication and has a background in Film, A/V and Social Media.
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