Sears and Roper Garden Rototillers Recalled for Reverse Locking Hazard
Sears and Roper recalled garden rototillers sold from 1963 to 1980 because a clutch locking button could lock the machine in reverse, causing severe leg injuries.
What this means for you
Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).
The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.
Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly reports injuries including severe lacerations, fractures, and amputations, which aligns with the rubric criterion for 'significant injury reports' under the Severe classification.
Plain-English summary
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced new efforts by Sears, Roebuck and Co., and Roper Corporation to notify consumers about hazards associated with certain garden rototillers sold between 1963 and 1980. These tillers feature a clutch locking button that allows the machine to be locked in reverse. The companies have received over 20 reports of injuries, with the most severe incidents involving tillers backing over users and causing severe lacerations, fractures, or amputations to their legs.
A CPSC recall effectiveness study estimated that previous notice efforts reached approximately 50 percent of rototiller owners. The Commission has received a report that at least one additional consumer was injured by one of the tillers during the past year, sustaining lacerations to the leg. Sears is placing posters in its stores to inform customers about a free modification kit that eliminates the clutch locking mechanism. This kit is designed to be easy to install and allows consumers to operate the tiller without excess hand fatigue.
Consumers with model numbers beginning with 917 should call the Roper toll-free hotline at 800-435-5117 (or 1-815-937-6856 in Illinois) to determine if they have an affected unit and to obtain the free modification kit. Additional information is available from the CPSC toll-free hotline at 800-638-CPSC.
The recalled product
- Product
- Sears and Roper Corporation garden tillers
- Manufacturer
- Sears
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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