FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2005
Release #05-218 |
Firm's Hotline: (888) 271-4048
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
|
CPSC, Tecumseh Power Co. Announce Recall to Repair Lawn Tractors
WASHINGTON , D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Lawn Tractors
Units: About 21,000
Transaxle Manufacturer: Tecumseh Power Co., of Grafton, Wis.
Hazard: The axles on these lawn tractors can crack and break if subject to extreme load amounts. Should the axle break, it could cause a loss of control and result in injuries to the rider.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: These lawn tractors have a 6-speed MST206-545C Peerless transaxle and a 17.5, 18, 18.5 or 19 horsepower engine. The recalled tractor and transaxle model number information is located below the tractor seat (see Figure 1), and on the transaxle housing (see Figure 2). The recalled transaxles have a date of manufacture code (DOM) between 4275 and 5047 followed by the letter "G", which can be found on the Transaxle ID Label (see Figure 3).
| BRAND NAME | COLOR | HP | RETAILER | TRACTOR MODEL NO. |
| Poulan Pro |
Black |
18.5 |
Various Hardware Dealers |
96012000300 |
| Poulan |
Black |
17.5 |
Various Hardware Dealers |
96012001100 |
| Poulan Pro |
Black |
19 |
Various Hardware Dealers |
96012001700 |
| Poulan Pro |
Black |
18.5 |
Various Hardware Dealers |
96012002700 |
| Southern States |
Red |
17.5 |
Southern States Dealers |
96012002200 |
| Poulan Pro |
Black |
18 |
The Home Depot |
96016000200 |
| Craftsman |
Grey |
18 |
Orchard Supply Hardware |
275390 |
Sold at: Home and hardware stores nationwide from December 2004 through May 2005 for between $750 and $1,300.
Transaxles Manufactured in: Brazil
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using their lawn tractor, and contact Tecumseh for assistance in identifying affected units, and free repair if necessary.
Consumer Contact: Call Tecumseh toll-free at (888) 271-4048 between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit Tecumseh's Web site at www.tecumsehpower.com
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov
CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals - contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @OnSafety or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.