Severity
Moderate
CPSC, Tecumseh Products Co. Announce Recall of Power Equipment Engines
Reported: November 27, 2002 Initiated: November 27, 2002 #03046 About 25,000 units
Tecumseh Products Co., Tecumseh, Mich. issued this CPSC recall on November 27, 2002. Classified as Moderate severity. Approximately About 25,000 units are affected. The recall was issued because: A misrouted fuel line in the engine can become damaged, allowing gasoline to leak out, posing a fire hazard to consumer…. This recall notice is sourced from official CPSC enforcement records. Below you will find the complete product description, hazard information, remedy instructions, and related recalls from the same manufacturer or product category.
Recall Insight
This CPSC action (record #03046) was formally reported on November 27, 2002. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Tecumseh Products Co., Tecumseh, Mich. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 25,000 units are affected.
The documented reason for this recall is: A misrouted fuel line in the engine can become damaged, allowing gasoline to leak out, posing a fire hazard 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 power equipment immediately and contact Tecumseh to schedule a free engine repair. — 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.
Recall Distribution by Severity Class
Units Affected
About 25,000
Related Recalls
6
1 from same agency
Product Description
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® 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 Northern Tool 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
Reason for Recall
A misrouted fuel line in the engine can become damaged, allowing gasoline to leak out, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Remedy
Consumers should stop using the power equipment immediately and contact Tecumseh to schedule a free engine repair.
Details
- Recalling Firm
- Tecumseh Products Co., Tecumseh, Mich.
- Units Affected
- About 25,000
Recall Profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Agency | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission |
| Severity class | Moderate |
| Status | Active |
| Recall number | 03046 |
| Date reported | November 27, 2002 |
| Date initiated | November 27, 2002 |
| Recalling firm | Tecumseh Products Co., Tecumseh, Mich. |
| Units affected | About 25,000 |
| Distribution | Not disclosed |
Profile values are sourced directly from the official CPSC enforcement record. Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
What product was recalled? ▼
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® 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 Northern Tool 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. Recalled by Tecumseh Products Co., Tecumseh, Mich.. Units affected: About 25,000.
Why was this product recalled? ▼
A misrouted fuel line in the engine can become damaged, allowing gasoline to leak out, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
What should consumers do? ▼
Consumers should stop using the power equipment immediately and contact Tecumseh to schedule a free engine repair.
Which agency issued this recall? ▼
This recall was issued by the CPSC on November 27, 2002. Severity: Moderate. Recall number: 03046.
How do I check if my product is affected by a recall? ▼
Check the product description and recall number (03046) against your product. Visit the official CPSC website for the most current information. You can also use our Recall Checker tool to search by product name or brand.
How do I report an injury from a recalled product? ▼
Report injuries to the issuing agency: CPSC at SaferProducts.gov, NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem, or FDA via MedWatch. Document the product (photos, model/serial numbers, purchase receipts) and seek medical attention. Injury reports help agencies track hazard patterns and may strengthen enforcement actions.
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Recall Context
Product recalls are issued when a manufacturer, distributor, or federal agency determines that a product poses a safety risk to consumers. This recall is classified as moderate severity, indicating the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health consequences. Across PlainRecalls, we track 83,000+ recalls from FDA, CPSC, and NHTSA to help consumers stay informed and act quickly when safety issues arise.
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Data Sources
Data as of 2025. Source: FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS federal recall databases.
- Source: FDA — Food and Drug Administration, openFDA Enforcement API (food, drug, and medical device recalls)
- Source: CPSC — Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls API (consumer product recalls and hazards)
- Source: NHTSA — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Recalls API (vehicle safety recalls)
- Source: USDA FSIS — Food Safety and Inspection Service (meat, poultry, and egg product recalls)
Recall information is sourced from official federal agency databases. Always verify recall details with the issuing agency for the most current status. This information is for research and awareness purposes only.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — demographic + housing + income data. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage + employment by occupation. bls.gov/oes
- BEA Regional Economic Accounts — GDP + personal income by state/metro. bea.gov/data/regional
- U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns — establishment + employment by industry. census.gov/cbp
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-return aggregate data. irs.gov/statistics
- data.gov — U.S. federal open-data portal — discovery layer for additional federal sources. data.gov
Source: Federal recall agencies (FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS) Aggregated multi-agency recall feeds · 2024 Recall data normalized across federal agency feeds; severity classifications follow each agency's own taxonomy (FDA Class I/II/III; CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS).