Toro and Exmark initially performed product recalls for commercial customers on a private basis, but since some of the mowers were sold to consumers, the company decided to contact the CPSC, said Fred Hemmer, manager of customer care for landscape contractor business, Toro, Bloomington, Minn.
Meanwhile, Dixon consulted with the CPSC after reviewing warranty claims and noticing the repeat occurrences of leaky fuel tanks, explained David Taylor, vice president of sales, Dixon Industries, Coffeyville, Kan. “We monitored the situation and as they started to develop, we voluntarily contacted the CPSC,” he said. “We were trying to be proactive and make sure the customers and dealers were well-informed.”
While the Toro and Exmark recalls came out simultaneously since Toro owns Exmark, Dixon’s recall announcement being made at the same time was purely coincidental.
Toro is recalling 13,000 Zmaster Z100 series commercial-grade riding mowers, Exmark 21,000 Lazer Z HP mowers and Dixon 28,000 Dixon ZTR mowers. Toro and Exmark collectively received 25 reports of fires that resulted when the exhaust system ignited vapors from spilled fuel. This stemmed from incorrect muffler positioning and the fires resulted in three burn injuries, said John Cloutier, national marketing manager, Exmark, Beatrice, Neb. “We want the industry to understand that this is a design issue,” he said. “We want to create a safer environment for the industry in the future.”
Dixon’s recall involves improperly molded fuel tanks that may potentially crack at the seam and cause a fire hazard, but Taylor said no injuries were reported. Warranty claims involving fuel tanks number 532 over four years, but Taylor noted these instances may or may not relate directly to the cracked seams in the tanks. “The way the warranty claims are written up, we’re unable to determine the actual cause of the leak 100 percent of the time.” As a precaution, Dixon decided to report all models with fuel tank problems to the CPSC.
Toro and Exmark dealers sold these mowers between January 1998 and December 2001, and Dixon sold its models from July 1997 through March 2002, according to CPSC press releases.
Contractors or consumers who own these riding mowers should take the affected unit to their dealer, Cloutier explained, reminding commercial Toro and Exmark customers that if they had this rework done previously, there is no need to bring in the mower again. “This was an existing rework, which we’re calling the crossover exhaust system, that vents the exhaust at the top of the engine instead of at the bottom where the vapors can collect,” he stated, adding that the company started making these repairs in July. “If any of our customers have any doubt as to whether their unit is affected and may need to be reworked, we encourage them to get in touch with their Dealer or our Customer Service Department.”
Hemmer said that Toro has already mailed letters to all registered owners that the rework is available, strongly encouraging owners to have the tailpipe extension installed at no extra cost. “We then sent out a service bulletin to all dealers announcing the same program,” he said. Toro owners who do not know their dealer or have a dealer that has moved or changed can call 800/225-0578 for more information and a dealer locator. Exmark users should call 800/479-8379 if they have questions about the recall.
Dixon owners are also encouraged to contact their dealer for a free replacement fuel tank and to call 877/CUT-MORE if they need more information. Information about all three manufacturer recalls is also available on the manufacturers’ Web sites.
EDITOR’S NOTE: All of the affected machines included in this recall can be identified by their serial numbers. Mowers with different serial numbers than those found below or different models of mowers from these manufacturers aren’t included in this recall.
The Exmark machines included in this recall are:
- Kawasaki-Powered Engine Units
LHP4417KA, LHP4419KA, LHP4819KA, LHP4821KA, LHP5223KA (with serial numbers between 160000 through 284700)
- Kohler-Powered Engine Units
LHP4418KC, LHP4818KC, LHP4820KC, LHP5220KC, LHP5223KC (with serial numbers between 176621 through 284700)
The Toro machines included in this recall are:
Model Numbers: Serial Numbers:
-
74170 990001-200999999
-
74171 990001-200999999
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74172 990001-200999999
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74173 990001-200999999
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74174 990001-200999999
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74175 990001-200999999
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74176 210000001-220000263
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74177 210000001-220000388
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74178 210000001-220000313
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74179 210000001-220000389
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74197 210000001-220000114
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74198 210000001-220000327
The Dixon machines included in this recall are:
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Model 2301, serial numbers 2555-3100
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Models 3303 and 3304, serial numbers 54241-66276
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Model 3014, serial numbers 14116-23741
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Model 4421, serial numbers 88987-89316
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Models 5020, 5022, 5023, 5503, serial numbers 2118-6575
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Models 5017, 5423, 5424, 5425, serial numbers 4580-5835
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Model 5502, serial numbers 8484-8547
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Model 5601, serial numbers 2103-2116
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Classic Series, serial numbers 97579-97798
The author is Assistant Editor – Internet of Lawn & Landscape magazine.
