If you have recently had several inches of snow, wait before you head to the garage to start your snowblower. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that the Toro brand has voluntarily recalled one of its snowblower models due to an amputation hazard.
Recall Details
The Model Year 2021 Toro Power Max 826 OHAE Snowthrower, model 37802, is being recalled because the auger can fail to disengage when the control lever is released, which presents an amputation hazard.
According to the CPSC, no injuries have been reported to date. However, there have been five reports of incidents related to an auger failing to disengage when the control lever is released. This means that the auger, which is the rotating paddle or blade that collects and throws the snow through the discharge chute, might not stop spinning, which could lead to injury.
About 6,700 of the units were sold at The Home Depot, Ace Hardware and Toro Authorized Dealers nationwide and online from November 2020 through January 2021 for about $1,200. A complete list of serial numbers is available on the Minnesota-based manufacturer’s website.
What To Do If You Purchased A Toro Snowthrower
If you have an affected snowblower, avoid using it and contact an authorized Toro dealer. They will repair the recalled Toro Power Max Snowthrower at no charge.
You can call Toro toll-free at 833-254-8856 24 hours a day to access the Toro Dealer locator system. Alternatively, visit www.toro.com/locator online and enter your zip code to find an authorized service dealer near you.
If you have had an incident using this product, whether you suffered an injury or not, you should report it to CPSC. You can complete a public incident report online, call 800-638-2772 or download the report and email it to clearinghouse@cpsc.gov.
Tricia is a professional writer and editor who lives in North Texas with her family and one smelly dog. She is a wannabe problem solver, junk food maven professional coffee practitioner, web guru and general communicator. More.
