Recall: Walk-Behind Mowers Recalled by Lawn-Boy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 4, 2002 Release # 02-242

Lawn-Boy Recall Hotline: (866) 336-5207 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Yolanda Fultz-Morris, (301) 504-7066

CPSC, Lawn-Boy Announce Recall of Walk-Behind Mowers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Lawn-Boy Inc., of Bloomington, Minn., is voluntarily recalling about 36,000 Lawn-Boy walk-behind mowers. The vendor who manufactured the mulch plates for Lawn-Boy used the wrong material, making the plates brittle and easy to crack or break if struck by a stone or stick while mowing. Objects coming through a broken plate or pieces of the plate could possibly injure the operator or bystanders.

Lawn-Boy has received five reports of broken mulch plates. No injuries or property damage have been reported.

The recall includes 21-inch Lawn Boy Easy Mulch Silver, Silver Pro and GoldPro Series walk-behind lawn mowers. The mowers have the words "EASY MULCH" printed on the top of the mulch cover plate in bold black letters. A model and serial plate is located on the right rear of the mower housing.



Lawn-Boy dealers, department and home center stores sold the mowers nationwide from February 2002 to August 2002 for between $250 and $580.

Consumers should stop using these mowers in the mulching mode immediately and contact Lawn-Boy to receive a replacement cover plate. For more information, consumers can contact Lawn-Boy toll-free at (866) 336-5207 between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Consumers may also visit the firm's web site at www.lawnboy.com