Black & Decker and Craftsman Brand Cordless Electric Lawnmowers

CPSC Recall #06-232 — August 15, 2006

Recall Summary

Recall Number06-232
Recall DateAugust 15, 2006
Remedy TypeInspect, Repair
Units AffectedAbout 160,000 mowers -- Note: 140,000 of these Black & Decker and Craftsman brand lawnmowers were recalled in September 2002, but also are included in this recall.
ManufacturerBlack & Decker (U.S.) Inc., of Towson, Md.
Manufactured InUnited States and Canada

Where It Was Sold

Home center
hardware and discount stores
and authorized Black & Decker dealers nationwide from February 1996 through December 2005 for between $360 and $450. Craftsman-brand mowers were sold at Sears and Orchard Supply Hardware stores nationwide from January 1998 through December 2000 for between $360 and $400.

Product

Black & Decker and Craftsman Brand Cordless Electric Lawnmowers

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc., of Towson, Md., is voluntarily recalling about 160,000 mowers. An electrical component in the lawnmowers can overheat, posing a fire hazard.Name of Product: Black & Decker and Craftsman Brand Cordless Electric LawnmowersUnits: About 160,000 mowers -- Note: 140,000 of these Black & Decker and Craftsman brand lawnmowers were recalled in September 2002, but also are included in this recall.Manufacturer: Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc., of Towson, Md.Hazard: An electrical component in the lawnmowers can overheat, posing a fire hazard.Incidents/Injuries: Black & Decker has received 10 additional reports of electrical components overheating, including one additional report of a fire extending beyond the mower. -- Note: The original recall involved 11 reports of electrical components overheating. One of these resulted in a minor hand burn and nine resulted in reports of minor property damage extending beyond the mower.Description: The mowers were sold under both the Black & Decker and Craftsman brand names. The recalled Black & Decker mowers have the model CMM1000 or CMM1000R and are labeled as Type 1 through Type 4, both of which are located on the silver and black label affixed to the rear door of the mower. Mowers labeled as Type 5 are not included in this recall. The Black & Decker mowers have either an orange or green deck with a black motor cover. The Craftsman-brand mowers have model number 900.370520 and include all date codes and types. The model number is located on the silver and black label affixed to the rear door of the mower. The Craftsman mowers have a dark green deck with a black motor cover.Sold by: Home center, hardware and discount stores, and authorized Black & Decker dealers nationwide from February 1996 through December 2005 for between $360 and $450. Craftsman-brand mowers were sold at Sears and Orchard Supply Hardware stores nationwide from January 1998 through December 2000 for between $360 and $400.Manufactured In: United States and CanadaRemedy: All consumers should stop using the lawnmowers immediately and call for information on receiving a free inspection and repair if necessary. Consumers who had their mowers repaired as a result of the previous recall should have their mowers again inspected and repaired, if necessary, as part of this recall.Consumer Contact: For additional information, consumers with Black & Decker mowers should contact Black & Decker toll-free at (866) 229-5570 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.blackanddecker.com Consumers with Craftsman-brand lawnmowers should call (800) 659-7026 between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.

Hazard

An electrical component in the lawnmowers can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents & Injuries

Black & Decker has received 10 additional reports of electrical components overheating, including one additional report of a fire extending beyond the mower. -- Note: The original recall involved 11 reports of electrical components overheating. One of these resulted in a minor hand burn and nine resulted in reports of minor property damage extending beyond the mower.

Remedy Instructions

All consumers should stop using the lawnmowers immediately and call for information on receiving a free inspection and repair if necessary. Consumers who had their mowers repaired as a result of the previous recall should have their mowers again inspected and repaired, if necessary, as part of this recall.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Inspect, Repair at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Inspect, Repair) at no cost to you.

If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident — they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.