Harbor Freight Recalls Cordless Drills Due to Fire and Burn Hazard
Harbor Freight Tools is recalling about 108,000 cordless drills because the trigger switch can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard.
What this means for you
Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).
Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.
Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a fire and burn hazard with one reported minor injury, fitting the 'High' severity criteria for risk-of-harm products where injury has been reported but is not severe.
Plain-English summary
Harbor Freight Tools is recalling approximately 108,000 cordless drills, model number 96526, due to a fire and burn hazard. The black trigger switch on the 19.2v cordless drill can overheat, which poses a risk of fire and burns to consumers.
The recalled drills are blue and black with a black trigger switch and a 19.2v rechargeable battery pack. The model number is located on a yellow label on the left side of the drill, and "Made in China" appears on a yellow warning sticker on the right side. Harbor Freight Tools has received one report of a drill overheating and burning through the handle, resulting in a minor injury to a consumer.
The drills were sold at Harbor Freight Tools stores nationwide, via catalog, and online at www.harborfreight.com from April 2008 through May 2012 for between $27 and $30. Consumers should stop using the recalled drill immediately, remove the rechargeable battery, and contact Harbor Freight Tools to receive a free replacement drill. For more information, consumers can call (800) 444-3353 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or email [email protected].
The recalled product
- Product
- Cordless Drill
- Manufacturer
- Harbor Freight Tools, of Camarillo, Calif.
- Category
- Consumer Product — Power Tools
- Hazard
- Affected units
- 108,000
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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