CPSC, Ingersoll-Rand Co. Announce Recall of Portable Air Compressors Sold Between 1983 and 1991

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #02108) was formally reported on February 26, 2002. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Ingersoll-Rand Company, of Woodcliff Lake, N.J. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 458,000 units are affected, a scale large enough to require multi-state distribution tracking.

The documented reason for this recall is: Internal corrosion to the inner wall of the air receiver tank can cause the air tank to unexpectedly rupture, allowing pressurized air to suddenly and forcefully escape, posing risk of injury to consumers. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Consumers should stop using the air compressors immediately and contact Ingersoll-Rand for instructions on returning the compressor, freight paid. Consumers will have the option of being sent a check… — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 1 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 24 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.