PlainRecalls

Hydrostatic Lawn Tractors Recalled by Hydro-Gear Due to Crash Hazard

Reported: March 13, 2012 Initiated: March 13, 2012 #12132 About 2,700 units

Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership, of Sullivan, Ill. issued this CPSC recall on March 13, 2012. Classified as Moderate severity. Approximately About 2,700 units are affected. The recall was issued because: A drive gear in the lawn tractor's hydrostatic transaxle can fail causing brake failure, posing a crash hazard to consu…. 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 #12132) was formally reported on March 13, 2012. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership, of Sullivan, Ill. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 2,700 units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: A drive gear in the lawn tractor's hydrostatic transaxle can fail causing brake failure, posing a crash 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 immediately stop using the recalled lawn tractors and contact the firm for instructions on obtaining a repair from an authorized service provider. — 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 14 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

Severity1Class I (Critical)Class II (Moderate)Class III (Low)
Recall Distribution by Severity Class

Severity

Moderate

Units Affected

About 2,700

Related Recalls

6

1 from same agency

Product Description

This recall involves Cub Cadet, MTD Gold and Troy-Bilt lawn tractors sold with Hydro-Gear model 618-0319 and 618-04270B transaxles. Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt tractors included in this recall have dates of manufacture (DOM) ranging from December 2010 through March 2011. The DOM can be found on a label on the underside of the seat. MTD Gold can be identified by serial numbers starting with 1L15 or 1L16. Affected transaxles have serial numbers with the first four digits ranging between 0333 and 0348. Transaxle model and serial numbers are printed on a label on the transaxle. Cub Cadet lawn tractors with the recalled transaxles are: Mower Brand Mower Type Mower Model No. Hydro-Gear Transaxle Part No. Transaxle Serial No. (1st four digits) Cub Cadet LTX 1045 13WX91AT010 13WX91AT056 618-0319 0333 thru 0348 Cub Cadet LTX 1046KW 13WG91AT010 618-0319 0333 thru 0348 Cub Cadet LTX 1046M 13WP91AT009 618-0319 0333 thru 0348 Cub Cadet LTX 1050KH 13WQ91AP009 618-0319 0333 thru 0348 Cub Cadet LTX 1050KW 13WF91AP010 13WF91AP056 618-0319 0333 thru 0348 Cub Cadet SLTX 1050 13WQ92AP010 618-04270B 0333 thru 0348 Cub Cadet SLTX 1054 13WK92AK009 13WK92AK010 13WK92AK056 618-04270B 0333 thru 0348 MTD Gold brand tractors with the recalled transaxles are: Mower Brand Mower Type Mower Model No. Hydro-Gear Transaxle Part No. Transaxle Serial No. (1st four digits) MTD Gold Hydro 13AP925P004 618-04270B 0333 thru 0348 Troy-Bilt brand tractors with the recalled transaxles are: Mower Brand Mower Type Mower Model No. Hydro-Gear Transaxle Part No. Transaxle Serial No. (1st four digits) Troy-Bilt TB2450 13WQ92KP066 618-04270B 0333 thru 0348

Reason for Recall

A drive gear in the lawn tractor's hydrostatic transaxle can fail causing brake failure, posing a crash hazard to consumers.

Remedy

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled lawn tractors and contact the firm for instructions on obtaining a repair from an authorized service provider.

Recall Profile

Structured summary of the CPSC recall record
Attribute Value
Agency U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Severity class Moderate
Status Active
Recall number 12132
Date reported March 13, 2012
Date initiated March 13, 2012
Recalling firm Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership, of Sullivan, Ill.
Units affected About 2,700
Distribution Not disclosed

Profile values are sourced directly from the official CPSC enforcement record. Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Scale of Impact

About 2,700 units affected — limited or regional distribution scale.

Regional (<10K units) ✓ This recall
Multi-state (10K – 100K units)
Large-scale (100K – 1M units)
Massive (≥1M units)

Bracket cutoffs follow federal recall-disclosure conventions; bar widths scale linearly within each bracket. Source: PlainRecalls analysis of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission filings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What product was recalled?
This recall involves Cub Cadet, MTD Gold and Troy-Bilt lawn tractors sold with Hydro-Gear model 618-0319 and 618-04270B transaxles. Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt tractors included in this recall have dates of manufacture (DOM) ranging from December 2010 through March 2011. The DOM can be found on a label on the underside of the seat. MTD Gold can be identified by serial numbers starting with 1L15 or 1L16. Affected transaxles have serial numbers with the first four digits ranging between 0333 and 0348. Transaxle model and serial numbers are printed on a label on the transaxle. Cub Cadet lawn tractors with the recalled transaxles are: Mower Brand Mower Type Mower Model No. Hydro-Gear Transaxle Part No. Transaxle Serial No. (1st four digits) Cub Cadet LTX 1045 13WX91AT010 13WX91AT056 618-0319 0333 thru 0348 Cub Cadet LTX 1046KW 13WG91AT010 618-0319 0333 thru 0348 Cub Cadet LTX 1046M 13WP91AT009 618-0319 0333 thru 0348 Cub Cadet LTX 1050KH 13WQ91AP009 618-0319 0333 thru 0348 Cub Cadet LTX 1050KW 13WF91AP010 13WF91AP056 618-0319 0333 thru 0348 Cub Cadet SLTX 1050 13WQ92AP010 618-04270B 0333 thru 0348 Cub Cadet SLTX 1054 13WK92AK009 13WK92AK010 13WK92AK056 618-04270B 0333 thru 0348 MTD Gold brand tractors with the recalled transaxles are: Mower Brand Mower Type Mower Model No. Hydro-Gear Transaxle Part No. Transaxle Serial No. (1st four digits) MTD Gold Hydro 13AP925P004 618-04270B 0333 thru 0348 Troy-Bilt brand tractors with the recalled transaxles are: Mower Brand Mower Type Mower Model No. Hydro-Gear Transaxle Part No. Transaxle Serial No. (1st four digits) Troy-Bilt TB2450 13WQ92KP066 618-04270B 0333 thru 0348. Recalled by Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership, of Sullivan, Ill.. Units affected: About 2,700.
Why was this product recalled?
A drive gear in the lawn tractor's hydrostatic transaxle can fail causing brake failure, posing a crash hazard to consumers.
What should consumers do?
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled lawn tractors and contact the firm for instructions on obtaining a repair from an authorized service provider.
Which agency issued this recall?
This recall was issued by the CPSC on March 13, 2012. Severity: Moderate. Recall number: 12132.
How do I check if my product is affected by a recall?
Check the product description and recall number (12132) 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.

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.

Nearby Recalls in This Category

Other recalls in the same product category — useful for spotting patterns across the same defect class or manufacturer.

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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.

All federal data sources used on this page

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).