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"Recall Alerts"

12-02-2002

Published by:
Peter A. Lynch, Esq.
of Cozen O'Connor
palynch@cozen.com
http://www.cozen.com

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:      This weekly newsletter covers:

  1. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Tecumseh Products Co. Announce Recall of Engines Used on Outdoor Power Equipment
  2. National Highway Traffic Safety Admission (NHTSA) Publishes Recall Of 1992 Ford Crown Victoria Due To Fuel Tank Problems
  3. National Highway Traffic Safety Admission (NHTSA) Publishes Recall Of 2001 Nissan Frontier and Xterra Due to Fuel Tank Problems
  4. National Highway Traffic Safety Admission (NHTSA) Publishes Recall Of 1996 854 and 855 Volvo Due to Electrical Wiring in Seat Heaters


(1) CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION (CPSC) AND TECUMSEH PRODUCTS CO. ANNOUNCE RECALL OF ENGINES USED ON OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Tecumseh Products Co., Tecumseh, Michigan, is voluntarily recalling about 25,000 engines used in various outdoor power equipment. A misrouted fuel line in the engine can become damaged, allowing gasoline to leak out, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

The recalled engines, which were manufactured in the United States, have model numbers HMSK 80 through 110 and HM 80 through 100, which can be found on the lower left side of the engine housing. The recalled engines also have a date of manufacture code (DOM) between 02175 and 02268 followed by the letter "C", which can be found on the engine identification decal. The HMSK models are 8 to 11 horsepower Snow King(r) Snowthrower engines, while the HM models are 8 to 10 horsepower utility engines. The power equipment, brand names, and retailers involved in this recall include:

Power Equipment

Brand Name

Retailers/Dealers

Snowthrowers

Ariens, Simplicity, Snapper, Toro

Home Depot, Ariens Dealers, Blaine’s Farm, Fleet, Simplicity Dealers, Snapper Dealers, Toro Dealers

Chipper-Shredders

MTD Yard, Machines, Mighty Mac, Merry Mac, Baker, Earthquake, Simplicity

Menards, Northern Tool, Home Depot, MacKissic Dealers, Ardisam Dealers, Simplicity Dealers

Generators

Coleman, Powermate, North Star

Menards, Northern Tool

Pressure Washers

Tilton Aqua-Stripper, Tilton Hydra Storm

Tilton Dealers, Hydra Storm Dealers

Wheeled Leaf Blowers

MTD Yard Machines

Home Depot

Products equipped with the recalled engines were sold by retailers and dealers nationwide from June 2002 through November 2002. Sears, Roebuck & Co. distributed a limited quantity of these recalled products under its Craftsman brand name. Equipment owners will receive direct mail notice from Sears about this recall.

Consumers can contact Tecumseh at (888) 271-4048 between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Monday through Friday to schedule a free engine repair. Consumers also can log on to the company's website at www.tecumsehpower.com.

Engines that have a yellow dot painted on the fuel line have already been inspected or repaired and are not included in this recall.

The CPSC point of contact is Scott Wolfson, release number 03-046, (301) 504-0580 Ext. 1189. The notice issued by the CPSC can be viewed at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03046.html


(2) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMISSION (NHTSA) PUBLISHES RECALL OF 1992 FORD CROWN VICTORIA DUE TO FUEL TANK PROBLEMS

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has published a recall of 1992 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (CVPI) because of fuel tank problems. In order to enhance police officer safety, these vehicles will be equipped with shields designed to help protect the fuel tank in high-speed rear-impact crashes. Ford also will be offering an optional trunk package designed to improve the safe transport of sharp-edged, heavy equipment in these vehicles.

The shield kits will be installed on police interceptor vehicles at no cost. The optional trunk package will be available by the end of 2002. Ford has established a new web site at www.cvpi.com to answer additional questions about the safe use of CPVI vehicles.

The National highway Traffic Safety Administration Campaign Number is 02I003000. The notice can be viewed at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/central2.cfm


(3) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMISSION (NHTSA) PUBLISHES RECALL OF 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER AND XTERRA DUE TO FUEL TANK PROBLEMS

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has published a recall of 2001 Nissan Frontier and Xterra manufactured between October 2000 and January 2001.

The fuel tank inlet shutter valve does not meet the sealing performance specification. Under certain conditions such a high ambient temperature and when winter grade gasoline is being sold, fuel could spill from the filler inlet as the tank is being filled. In the presence of an ignition source, fuel leakage could result in a fire.

Dealers will replace the fuel tank inlet shutter valve. Owner notification is expected to begin January 15, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Nissan at (800) 647-7261.

The National highway Traffic Safety Administration Campaign Number is 02V300000. The notice can be viewed at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/central2.cfm


(4) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMISSION (NHTSA) PUBLISHES RECALL OF 1996 854 AND 855 VOLVO DUE TO ELECTRICAL WIRING IN SEAT HEATERS

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has published a recall of 854 and 855 Volvo equipped with seat heaters, it is possible that excessive compression of the seat cushion could cause damage to the electrical wiring of the seat heater. This could cause a short circuit, increasing the occurrence of a fire.

Consumers should take their vehicles to an authorized dealer for disconnection of the existing wires and install a new electronic thermostat and cable harness. Volvo has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Volvo at (800) 458-1552.

The National highway Traffic Safety Administration Campaign Number is 02V314000. The notice can be viewed at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/central2.cfm

DISCLAIMER: This column is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship. The information contained in this update is general in nature. Individual situations of readers may not fit the general educational information described in the column. Readers are strongly encouraged to consult with an attorney to evaluate individual situations and provide legal advice. Any reliance on the information contained herein is taken at the reader's own risk and should not be considered legal advice.

Mr. Lynch can be reached at Cozen and O'Connor, 501 West Broadway, Suite 1610, San Diego, California 92101, 800-782-3366 (voice), 619-234-7831 (fax), palynch@cozen.com (e-mail), http://www.cozen.com. Follow us on Twitter at @firesandrain.

Please direct comments, suggestions, stories, and other items to the author by e-mail at palynch@cozen.com

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