About 780,000 pressure washers that were distributed through various retailers, including Home Depot, are undergoing a recall in both the United States and Canada. The reason behind this recall is a safety concern related to the potential hazard of projectiles, leading to fractures and injuries to certain consumers.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently issued a recall notice, highlighting that TTI Outdoor Power Equipment is recalling specific models of its Ryobi-branded electric pressure washers. The issue at hand is that the capacitor in these products has the tendency to overheat and burst, resulting in forceful ejections of parts. This poses a significant risk of impact to users and bystanders.
According to the CPSC, there have been 135 reported cases of capacitors overheating in the U.S., with 41 instances of explosions leading to injuries and fractures in 32 consumers’ fingers, hands, face, and eyes. Health Canada, however, mentioned that no additional incidents were reported in Canada.
The affected Ryobi pressure washers bear model numbers RY142300 and RY142711VNM, with a total of approximately 764,000 units sold in the U.S. and 16,000 in Canada.
Consumers who own these pressure washers are advised to discontinue their use immediately. They can access a free repair kit, including a replacement capacitor, by visiting Ryobi’s recall website. Additionally, Canadian consumers can reach out to TTI Outdoor Power Equipment Inc. at 800-597-9624 for more information.
The recalled products were available for purchase at Home Depot and Direct Tools Factory Outlet in the U.S. from July 2017 to June 2024. TTI Outdoor Power Equipment, a subsidiary of Techtronic Industries (TTI), was contacted by the Associated Press for further comments.
Apart from the pressure washer recall, TTI had previously recalled Ryobi-branded mowers and hedge trimmers due to fire and laceration risks earlier this year.
