Product recalls are just a fact of life, but we're all busy, which means you don't always realize you've bought something dangerous.I only found out my Toyota's airbags had been subject to a recall three years after it happened! Now could have ended poorly indeed.Add How-To Geek on Google Add as Preferred Source Follow on Google Discover The popular and affordable Kobalt brand of tools sold at popular hardware store Lowe's has had its share of troubles.
If you've bought a Kobalt chainsaw, leaf blower, or any of a number of product types, you should check if it hasn't been subject to a safety recall before you start your outdoor work in the summer.The 24V leaf blower came with a battery that could catch fire while charging If only it could blow out its own flames It's totally understandable that you would want to charge your battery-powered tools the same way you charge a phone or a laptop.You just plug the USB-C cable in, and leave it to juice up.
Unfortunately, a July 09, 2026, recall that includes "Kobalt 24V and 48V trimmers, blowers, mowers, chainsaws and pruning saws with USB-C batteries" describes how charging the battery while still installed in the device could lead to a short circuit and even a battery fire.Close A lot of Kobalt gear is involved in this recall, with several blowers included in various kits as part of the deal.If you bought the 270-CFM blower by itself with a battery, look for KHB 324-06 on the tool.
If yours came with a string trimmer in combo kit KOC 1024-06, the blower model is KHB 2524-06.Both came with the KB 324-06 3.0Ah USB-C battery.If that's what you've got, stop using the battery immediately.
Go to the Greenworks battery recall claim form and fill in the details.The company will get back to you with further information.The 40V 12-inch chainsaw could get stuck in the on position Scream if you want to go faster Chainsaws are powerful, but also dangerous.
So the last thing you want is a chainsaw that keeps going when you need it to stop.I've already seen that horror movie, thanks! Unfortunately, certain Kobalt 12-inch chainsaws have a flaw where contacts inside the switch could weld together, turning an on-off switch into a permanent "on" switch.This recall was issued in September 2020, but there are around 150,000 saws affected, and one could still be lurking in your shed.
The details about your model are inside the rear handle.Look for model KCS 120-07 if you bought the saw with a battery, or KCS 120 if you bought the bare tool.On that same label, check for a date code from November 1, 2013, through March 31, 2020.
If you have one of these saws, stop using it immediately, because there's a risk of serious laceration injury.Visit the Greenworks recall website and look for the "Battery Powered Chainsaws" section.Contact details for a free repair are listed there.
The 8-inch pole saw could keep cutting after you let go Trouble overhead I can't think of a worse time to realize your pole saw won't switch off than when it's up in tree branches above your head.Unfortunately, that's what happened to certain Kobalt 40V pole saws, which kept running when their owners released the trigger.Thankfully, there were no injuries reported with this one.
This recall was issued in September 2020 and covered over 100,000 saws sold to the public.Check the side of the guide bar near the oil cap for these numbers: 796791 (Kobalt 49v 2.5AH Pole Saw) 1083769 (Kobalt 40v Pole Saw Bare Tool) 970801 (40v Pole Hedge Saw Combo Kit) 812419 (SOS Kobalt 40v Pole Saw) 812424 (SOS Kobalt 40v Pole Saw Tool Only) Stop using the saw if you own one, and visit the recall site for contact information to get the error repaired.The 40V dual-blade mower could catch fire on the circuit board Proof it's unhealthy to overthink things If you own one of the older Kobalt mowers from before the USB-C charging era, it's still worth checking if there's a recall.
In May 2017, some 20-inch dual-blade push mowers were recalled: Model Number: KM2040X-06 Item Number: 506586 Date Codes: 04/14/14 to 05/14/15 Recall Number: 17-168 Recall Date: May 26, 2017 Battery-related fire hazards are again the issue here, although in this case it's actually a circuit board that needs to be replaced.So, if you have one of these mowers, the first thing to do is remove the battery.Unfortunately, while the remedy was to repair this mower, it's no longer listed on the recall claim form, but you can phone 888-266-7096 according to the CPSC page.
Better safe than sorry While only a relatively small number of Kobalt products have been affected by recalls, it's easy to miss that the little-used tool in your garage is actually a lurking danger.So if you own any of these Kobalt tool types, take a few minutes out of your day to confirm whether the model numbers match those included in the recalls.It's not just Kobalt, either; even brands like Ryobi have recalls you might have missed.
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