SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Stopped working / malfunction

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20130914-3F4D9-2147451948. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Matched catalog product: Craftsman 247.288820. Source model text: 247.388140. Incident: WHEELS FALL OFF PUSH LAWNMOWER: I purchased, about three years ago, a Sears Craftsman lawn mower, model number 247.388140, and serial number 1c310861122. The purchase was made at the Sears retail location in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. The product warranty had expired prior to the safety issue. >>>In June of 2013, while operating the lawn mower normally, the right front height adjuster failed causing the right front wheel to separate from the lawn mower. The failed part was ordered from Sears/Craftsman at a cost of about $17.00 and replaced. >>>Within about four hours of operation after replacement of the right front height adjuster, the left front height adjuster failed in exactly the same way causing the left front wheel to separate from the mower chassis. I BELIEVE THIS MAY BE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD RESULT IN A POSSIBLE SEVERE INJURY. When informed of this situation, Sears Customer Service personnel displayed little concern. Perhaps the CPSC would be able to request parts orders of the replacement parts to ascertain whether replacement parts of the type that failed are being ordered with inordinate frequency, thus indicating an inordinate failure rate for this part.