Bobcat ZS4000 / ZS6000 stand-on mower steering damper crash hazard recall (CPSC 24-706)

## Affected machines This bulletin covers the **Bobcat** portion of CPSC recall 24-706. About 830 total units across both Bobcat and Kubota brands; the Bobcat portion is a subset of that. ### Affected Bobcat models | Model | Deck | Series | |---|---|---| | ZS4000-52 | 52" | ZS Stand-On Series | | ZS4000-61 | 61" | ZS Stand-On Series | | ZS6000-52 | 52" | ZS Stand-On Series | | ZS6000-61 | 61" | ZS Stand-On Series | The Kubota sibling models in the same recall (SZ19-36, SZ22-48, SZ22-52, SZ26-52, SZ26-61) are covered by sibling bulletin **TNB02600039**. The Bobcat ZS7000-61 is not in CPSC 24-706 scope (production began later) and is not affected by this recall. ## Issue The **steering arm dampers** installed on the mower's steering system can prevent the control levers from returning to the neutral position when the operator releases them. As a related symptom, the **Operator Presence switch may fail to function** as designed — the switch normally cuts power to the blades and forward motion if the operator steps off the platform, but with the damper interaction this safety interlock can be defeated. The combination creates two related hazards: - **Crash hazard**: a stand-on mower whose levers don't return to neutral can continue moving even when the operator intends to stop. - **Laceration hazard**: blades can continue rotating after the operator steps off, exposing them or bystanders to a moving cutter deck. Reported field incidents at time of recall: not separately published in the CPSC notice; the recall was issued as a Recall Alert. ## What to do 1. Check your model number against the table above. The model number is on the data plate on the mower. 2. If your mower is in scope, **stop using it immediately**. 3. Contact Doosan Bobcat North America customer service or visit your local Bobcat dealer for free repair. 4. Bobcat publishes recall information at https://www.bobcat.com — search for "ZS recall" or "stand-on mower recall." ## Hazard Severity is rated **critical** because the failure mode involves both unintended motion (crash) and live blades on an unmanned platform (laceration). The Operator Presence switch is a primary safety interlock on stand-on mowers, and a defeat of that interlock is among the most serious failure modes a stand-on can exhibit. ## Related bulletins - **TNB02600039** covers the Kubota SZ19 / SZ22 / SZ26 portion of this same CPSC 24-706 recall. ## Source - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, "Doosan Bobcat North America Recalls Bobcat and Kubota Stand-On Zero Turn Lawnmowers Due to Crash and Laceration Hazard (Recall Alert)," March 2024. - Bobcat website: https://www.bobcat.com ## Library notes This bulletin's number TNB02600038 was reserved by migration 062 (Kubota TNB02600039 was minted then; the sequence was advanced to 40 in anticipation of this Bobcat sibling). The four affected ZS SKUs are added in this same migration as new equipment_models rows in the stand-on-mower category.