CPSC, Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. Announce Recall of Small Engines

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #03528) was formally reported on March 11, 2003. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., of Irvine, Calif. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 45 units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: Vibration during operation can result in abrasion wear to the fuel tube, leading to a fuel leak. If the fuel leak comes in contact with a spark or flame, it can cause a fire and burn hazard. 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 Kawasaki engine-equipped compact tractors immediately and contact the authorized dealer from whom the tractor was purchased for a free repair. The repair will consist … — 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 23 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.