Troy-Bilt String Trimmer Sold at Lowe's Recalled for Laceration Hazard

CPSC recall 06570 · announced August 1, 2006 · Mtd Southwest · 20,000 units affected

The product

The recalled handheld string trimmer is powered by a 4-cycle gasoline engine. The trimmer functions to cut grass or weeds through the use of a spinning yellow trimmer head containing a spool of orange filament line. Model numbers TB425CS and TB525CS and "Troy-Bilt" are printed on the body of the muffler housing.

The hazard

The blade that trims the excess string of these weed trimmers can detach from the plastic shield covering the trimmer head. The blade can be thrown outward, hitting the user or bystander, resulting in a laceration.

What to do (per CPSC)

Consumers should stop using the trimmers immediately and contact Troy-Bilt for a free repair. Lowe's will mail free repair kits with instruction to owners of registered equipment directly.

Official CPSC recall notice →

Notes

Incidents (per CPSC): None reported.
Sold at: Lowe's stores nationwide from January 2006 through March 2006 for about $170.
Consumer contact: For additional information, contact Troy-Bilt toll-free at (888) 848-6038 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm's Web site at www.troybilt.com

Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission public recall data. This page reports official records and is not legal, medical, or repair advice.