Sears Canada is urging customers who own certain Frigidaire and Kenmore Elite smooth-top, freestanding, electric ranges to stop using them until they can be repaired.

Sears Canada said Wednesday the Frigidaire division of Electrolux Canada Corp. advised it of a potential safety hazard relating to some of its ranges.

The appliances' heating elements can turn on spontaneously without being switched on and fail to turn off after being switched off. They can also heat to different temperatures than those selected by unit controls.

Affected model numbers include:

C970-68802x C970-68832x CGLEFM97DSx
C970-68803x C970-68833x CPLEF398ACx
C970-68804x C970-69803x CPLEFM99ECx
C970-68808x C970-69804x CPLEFZ98GCx
C970-68809x C970-69808x PGLEF388CSx
C970-68830x C970-69809x PGLEF388ESx

The model number can be found by opening the range drawer at the bottom of the unit. The information plate appears on the right side of the frame.

The ranges were sold through Sears Canada retail stores, online at www.sears.ca and through the Sears Canada catalogue between June 2001 and September 2008.

Sears Canada will be contacting potentially affected customers to arrange for a free repair.

The company said it will be posting signs in all of its retail stores to advise customers of this safety hazard.

Customers who have not been in contact with Sears are asked to call its 24-hour help line at 1-866-691-9948.