The Recall Desk
HighCPSC·85045·Announced 1985-09-18

Toro Recalls 17,000 IC Series Irrigation Controllers for Eye Injury Risk

Toro is recalling 17,000 IC series irrigation controllers because a capacitor may burst, scattering debris that could cause eye injury.

What this means for you

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 risk-of-harm product where injury (corneal abrasion) has been reported, but the injuries are non-permanent and no fatalities or severe injuries are noted, fitting the 'High' severity criteria for risk-of-harm products with reported injury.

Plain-English summary

The Toro Company is recalling 17,000 IC series irrigation controllers in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The affected units include the IC4, IC4D, IC8, and IC12 models. These electronic devices are used to program automatic lawn sprinkling systems and were marketed nationwide in 1982 and 1983, primarily through irrigation system professional contractors and some retail outlets.

The recall is due to a defect where the end cap of a large capacitor in the controller's printed circuit board may fail or burst abruptly under certain conditions. This failure can scatter tinfoil and paper debris, posing a risk of eye injury to users or servicing personnel standing in front of the controller with the door open and cover removed. The capacitor can fail if the heat sink and battery connector inadvertently touch, causing a short circuit. Toro received four failure reports in 1983 and 1984, which resulted in two non-permanent eye injuries of corneal abrasion.

Owners should check the plastic cover for the model name (IC4, IC4D, IC8, or IC12) and the model/serial number decal on the bottom of the unit to determine if their controller is affected. Specific model and serial number ranges are listed in the official recall notice. Owners who identify their controller as being recalled should call Toro at 714/688-9221 or write to the Customer Service Department at The Toro Company, Irrigation Division, 5825 Jasmine Street, Riverside, California 92504. Toro will arrange to have the units modified at no cost to owners. Owners whose units have already been modified should disregard this notice.

The recalled product

Product
Toro IC series irrigation controllers
Manufacturer
Toro
Category
Consumer Product — Irrigation Controllers
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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