Hearth Record

CPSC, Harbor Freight Tools Announce Recall of Heavy Duty Portable Industrial Cord Reel

Home product recall 04-542. Announced by CPSC on Mar 10, 2004.

  • CPSC: stop using it
CPSC’s own notice, on cpsc.gov

Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. CPSC’s own notice is on cpsc.gov.

The short answer

Announced by CPSC on Mar 10, 2004. Copied from CPSC on Oct 19, 2026.

Every line below is in CPSC’s own words, with its source beside it.

What’s wrong with it?

Electric shock or fire possible because the internal grounding conductor may not be properly secured to the receptacle.

Source:

CPSC, Recalls API. Checked Oct 19, 2026. Updated daily.

What should you do?

Stop using the cord and reel immediately. Consumers should call Harbor Freight Tools to obtain a refund. Harbor Freight Tools is contacting owners of affected cord reels by direct mail, where the name is known to the firm.

Source:

CPSC, Recalls API. Checked Oct 19, 2026. Updated daily.

  • How to reach the firm: Consumers should call Harbor Freight Tools at (800) 444-3353 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. PT Monday through Friday to obtain a refund. Consumers can also visit the firm’s website at www.harborfreight.com

Which ones are recalled?

The recalled heavy duty portable industrial cord reels are yellow with a carrying handle, extendable/retractable extension cord and 6 electrical outlets/plugs. The units are marked “Cord Reel Portable Power” and sold as “SKU 42053.” The label on the rear of the unit contains the following information: “Cord Reel, 10 Amps, 125 Volts, 1250 Watts, Caution, Disconnect all plugs inserted into the outlets on this face before winding cord reel in either direction, Made in Taiwan, R.O.C.”

9,390 units, as CPSC gives them.

Heavy Duty Portable Industrial Cord Reel.

Source:

CPSC, Recalls API. Checked Oct 19, 2026. Updated daily.

CPSC’s photos

CPSC shows 2 photos on its notice. Hearth Record doesn’t copy them; each opens on cpsc.gov.

Who made and sold it?

  • Made by Harbor Freight Tools, Camarillo, Calif.
  • Harbor Freight Tools catalogs and website only, from January 2000 through the beginning of February 2004, for approximately $10 to $13.
  • Made in Taiwan, as the notice gives it.
Source:

CPSC, Recalls API. Checked Oct 19, 2026. Updated daily.

Was anyone hurt?

None reported.

Source:

CPSC, Recalls API. Checked Oct 19, 2026. Updated daily.

What the record doesn’t say

  • The notice lists no UPCs, so check the model, the description and the photos.
  • The notice lists no model numbers in a field of their own; its description may give them.
  • How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.
Source:

Hearth Record wrote these lines.

Sources

  • U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Recalls API.

    Checked Oct 19, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.

Source:

Recalls of kids’ and home products are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record. Copied on Oct 19, 2026.

How to read a record

Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

An example record, made up for this guide

An example nursing home

Made up for this guide: no real place is shown

Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 8, 2026. Updated monthly.

From the homeNone yet. Replies and paid listings aren’t open, and when they open they will sit here, below the record.

1 of 4

Every fact names its source.

Who published it, when, and how often it changes sit beside each fact, with a link to the agency’s own file.

Sign in

A free account keeps your watch list, shortlists, comparisons and saved searches on every device, and can email you when something you watch changes. Browsing never needs one.