Toro Power Clear Single-Stage snow blower carburetor fuel-leak fire-hazard family (CPSC 2010 + CPSC 11-207)

## Affected machines This bulletin covers **two sequential CPSC recalls** on Toro Power Clear single-stage snow blowers from the 2009-2011 production era. Both recalls address the same underlying defect family — **ethanol-induced carburetor needle corrosion** causing fuel leaks and fire hazard. ### Recall 1 — CPSC 2010 (Power Clear 180 single-stage 38272 / 38282) About **35,700 US units** (plus 2,300 in Canada) of Toro **Power Clear 180 Single Stage** snow blowers. | Model number | Serial range | Production window | |---|---|---| | 38272 | 310000001 - 310999999 | November 2009 - May 2010 | | 38282 | 310000001 - 310999999 | November 2009 - May 2010 | The model and serial number are on a **decal on the lower right side of the snow blower**. Sold at Toro dealers and Home Depot stores nationwide for $400-$440. Manufactured in the U.S. Reported field incidents at recall time: - 2,200 reports of carburetor leaks - 0 fires - 0 injuries ### Recall 2 — CPSC 11-207 (April 2011 expansion) About **18,000 US units** of Toro Power Clear snowblowers (broader Power Clear family beyond the 38272/38282 SKUs covered in the 2010 recall) **plus** about **6,000 US Toro 20" Recycler mowers**. Sold at Toro dealers in the U.S. and Canada from September 2009 to March 2011. Snowblowers manufactured in the U.S.; mowers manufactured in Mexico. Reported field incidents at recall time: - 500 reports of carburetor leaks (combined snowblower + mower population) - 0 fires - 0 injuries This bulletin attaches to the **snowblower portion** only (the Power Clear family). The Toro 20" Recycler mower portion would be a separate bulletin in the walk-behind or push-mower category if the affected SKU is added to the library. ## Issue **Exposure to ethanol in gasoline** can cause the **carburetor needle to become corroded**. A corroded needle can stick in the open position and allow fuel to leak from the carburetor. The two recalls together address the same defect family at different points in Toro's investigation — the 2010 recall covered the initial 38272/38282 SKUs as the issue first surfaced, and the April 2011 recall expanded scope to cover the broader Power Clear family that shared the same carburetor design. This is the **classic ethanol-fuel-system defect pattern** that affected many small-engine power equipment products in the 2009-2012 era as ethanol blends became standard at retail pumps. Several other recalls in the TractorNuity library trace to the same underlying chemistry (e.g., the CPSC 13-040 Kawasaki engine fuel filter recall covered by sibling bulletins TNB02600050-060, 066 — different defect, same root cause class). ## What to do 1. Find the **decal on the lower right side** of your Power Clear snow blower and note the model and serial number. 2. Check whether your model is **38272** or **38282** (covered by the 2010 recall) or another Power Clear SKU sold September 2009 - March 2011 (covered by CPSC 11-207). 3. If your snow blower is in scope, **stop using it immediately** and store it outdoors away from structures or sources of ignition. 4. Contact a Toro service dealer for free repair. Toll-free: **(877) 738-4440** Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. CT (originally; some materials list 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. CT — check the current Toro recall page). 5. Toro Product Recall Information: https://www.toro.com — click "Safety" at the bottom of the page, then "Product Recall Information." ## Hazard Severity is rated **critical** because of the fire risk from fuel leakage on a hot engine. The high incident count (~2,700 leaks reported across the combined recalls on a ~50,000-unit population) confirms the defect was actively manifesting in the field. ## Related bulletins - **TNB02600022** — CPSC 13-026 / 13-187 Toro Z Master Commercial 2000 fuel-tank wear-through fire hazard (different defect, similar era). - **TNB02600023** — CPSC 2015 Toro TimeCutter fuel filter brittleness (later evolution of the ethanol-fuel-system pattern, now affecting fuel filters rather than carburetor needles). - **TNB02600058** — CPSC 13-040 Toro portion of multi-brand Kawasaki engine fuel filter recall (different fuel-filter defect, related ethanol-fuel-system pattern). ## Source - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, "Snow Blowers Recalled by The Toro Company Due to Fire Hazard," 2010. - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, "Toro Recalls Power Clear Snowblowers and Recycler Mowers Due to Fire or Burn Hazard," CPSC 11-207, April 26, 2011. - Manufacturer: The Toro Company, of Bloomington, Minnesota. - Toro recall information: https://www.toro.com