STIHL Recalls Yard Power Products Due to Burn and Fire Hazards

News provided by

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

May 25, 2011, 07:00 ET

WASHINGTON, May 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 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.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20030904/USCSCLOGO)

Name of product: Gas powered STIHL trimmers, brushcutters, KombiMotors, hedge trimmers, edgers, clearing saws, pole pruners, and backpack blowers that utilize a toolless fuel cap

Units: About 2.3 million

Manufacturer: STIHL Inc., of Virginia Beach, Va.

Hazard: The level of ethanol and other fuel additives can distort the toolless fuel cap, allowing fuel to spill, posing a fire and burn hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: STIHL has received 81 reports of difficulty installing and/or removing the fuel caps and fuel spillage. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The following yard power tools and model numbers are included in this recall:

Product Name & Description	Model Number	Serial Numbers Affected
Blower, backpack	BR 500	Up to 284053456
	BR 550	Up to 284053456
	BR 600	Up to 284053456
	BR 600 Magnum	Up to 284053456
Hedge Trimmer, extended reach	HL 90K	Up to 284101483
	HL 100	Up to 284101483
	HL 100 K	Up to 284101483
Pole Pruner	HT 56 C-E	Up to 284398635
	HT 100	Up to 284097165
	HT 101	Up to 284097165
	HT 130	Up to 284097165
	HT 131	Up to 284097165
Edger	FC 56 C-E	Up to 284180999
	FC 70 C-E	Up to 284180999
	FC 90	Up to 284012099
	FC 95	Up to 284012099
	FC 100	Up to 284012099
	FC 110	Up to 284012099
Trimmer/ Brushcutter	FS 40 C-E	Up to 284180999
	FS 56 C-E	Up to 284180999
	FS 56 RC-E	Up to 284180999
	FS 70 RC-E	Up to 284180999
	FS 90	Up to 284012099
	FS 90 R	Up to 284012099
	FS 100 RX	Up to 284012099
	FS 110	Up to 284012099
	FS 110 R	Up to 284012099
	FS 110 RX	Up to 284012099
	FS 130	Up to 284012099
	FS 130 R	Up to 284012099
Clearing Saw	FS 310	Up to 284012099
KombiEngine	KM 56 RC-E	Up to 284180999
	KM 90 R	Up to 284012099
	KM 110 R	Up to 284012099
	KM 130 R	Up to 284012099

Visit STIHL's website, www.stihlusa.com for additional photos of the power tools involved and photos of the toolless fuel cap.

Sold at: Authorized STIHL dealers nationwide from July 2002 through May 2011 for between $190 and $650.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these products and return them to an authorized STIHL dealer for a free repair. Consumers can contact STIHL for instructions on identifying these toolless fuel caps.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact STIHL toll-free at (800) 233-4729 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's website at www.stihlusa.com or e-mail to [email protected].

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 it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission 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 $800 billion annually. The 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 significant decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Under federal law, it is illegal to attempt to sell or re-sell this or any other recalled product.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772, teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this press release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov. To join a free e-mail subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.

Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 233-4729
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission