Families that use lawn mowers on a frequent basis can forget how dangerous these high-powered machines really are. They’re heavy and contain sharp, fast-moving blades that easily cut through grass. In recent years, the necessity of the “No Mow In Reverse” safety device has been made readily apparent by incidents such as the 2004 case of the Bainter family’s lawn accident in which a child was injured when his father backed up the lawn mower and caused catastrophic injuries to his son.
Last week, however, Cleveland-based MTD Products issued a new recall that deals with another lawn mower safety hazard. On April 25, the company recalled approximately 2,100 Cub Cadet 2011 Commercial Zero Turn Mowers that were manufactured between January and December 2011. According to the CPSC’s recall summary, “[f]uel can leak from the vent valve grommet on top of the fuel tank during operation, posing a risk of fire.”
Although no injuries have been reported, consumers should stop use of the Cub Cadet lawn mowers and check to see if their model is affected by the recall, as the company has already received 106 reports of fuel leaking, including an incident that resulted in a fire. Owners can identify the model number and the date of manufacture on the label located on the frame under the footrest. The recall affects the following models: M54-KH, M60-KH, M60-KW, M72-KW, S6031-KW, S7237-KW, TANK L48 and TANK L60.
Owners of recalled Cub Cadet models can take their lawn mower to an authorized service dealer for a free repair. If consumers would like to learn more information about the recall, they can contact the company at (888) 848-6032 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Additionally, consumers can visit www.cubcadet.com and click on “Product Recalls” at the bottom of the page.