The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighCPSC·97084·Announced 1997-03-20

Hitachi Recalls 9.6 Volt Cordless Drill Battery Packs for Overheating Risk

Hitachi Koki U.S.A. Ltd. is recalling 9.6 volt battery packs for cordless drills because they may overheat and melt during recharging, posing a burn risk.

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 risk of burn injury from overheating batteries, but the source explicitly states that no injuries have been reported, fitting the criterion for risk-of-harm products where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

Hitachi Koki U.S.A. Ltd. is recalling approximately 20,000 9.6 volt battery packs used in Hitachi cordless drills. The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The affected battery packs are FEB9 series batteries with serial numbers 06, 16, 36, 56, 76, 86, or 96. These batteries are typically found in green Hitachi cordless drills, specifically the FDS 10DVA model, which feature a black chuck and orange trigger switch.

The hazard associated with these battery packs is that they may overheat and melt while being recharged. If a consumer touches the overheated battery, their skin could be burned. CPSC and Hitachi are not aware of any injuries involving these drills, and the recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury.

The drills were sold nationwide from September through December 1996 for approximately $99 to $139. They were available through independent retailers, tool distributors, lumber yards, and woodworking and industrial tool catalogs. Consumers should immediately stop using the affected drills and call Hitachi at (800) 706-7337 for instructions on receiving free replacement batteries.

The recalled product

Product
Cordless Drill Battery Packs Replace by Hitachi Koki
Manufacturer
Hitachi
Category
Consumer Product — Power Tools
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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