News from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs      Washington, D.C. 20207

MTD Snow Throwers Recalled - Plastic Wheel Rims Can Burst and Injure Users

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm listed below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. To access color photos of recalled products, go to the Commission's Web site at http://www.cpsc.gov/.

Name of Product: Two-Stage Compact Snow Throwers
Units: About 130,000
Manufacturer: MTD Products Inc, of Cleveland, Ohio
Hazard: If the snow thrower's tires are over-inflated, the plastic wheel rims can burst, posing a risk of lacerations and fractures.
Incidents/Injuries: MTD has received reports of 16 injuries, including fractured fingers, a broken toe, and facial lacerations.
Description: The recalled two-stage compact snow thrower is used for snow removal. The snow thrower has two wheels and comes in red, green, gray or black. Troy-Bilt, Yard Machines or Craftsman is printed on the snow thrower's housing. The model number is located on the snow thrower's rear frame. The model numbers included in this recall are listed below.

Sold at: The Troy-Bilt and Yard Machines snow throwers were sold at independent dealers, home improvement and hardware stores. The Craftsman brand snow throwers were sold at Sears and Kmart stores. Affected snow throwers were sold from July 2004 through March 2006 for between $500 and $800.
Manufactured in: Canada
Remedy: Consumers should contact MTD for a free service kit with pressure relief valves, labels and instructions. Consumers with Craftsman brand snow throwers will be mailed a service kit directly by Sears.
Customer Contact: For more information, contact MTD toll-free at (888) 848-6038 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.mtdproducts.com.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270 or visit CPSC's Web site at http//www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at http://www.cpsc.gov/.
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