White Outdoor riding lawn mowers

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. No one hurt

   Made Jun 10, 2011 · , published by CPSC Jul 22, 2011

   The product, in the report: White Outdoor Garden Tractor with a 54” deck with a Kohler engine.

   Date: June 10, 2011 Re: White Outdoor 54” riding mower with a Kohler engine purchased from TSC Model #: 13AP62TA090 Serial #: 1A108H20255 To whom it may concern, I purchased a White Outdoor lawn tractor with a 54 inch cutting deck equipped with a Kohler Courage 22 HP engine March 2008 from the Tractor Supply Store in Yankton, SD. I also purchased a bagger kit for the mower and a 3 year extended warranty. The tractor worked well since being purchased with the occasional backfire that I was told was “normal” for that engine. Regular maintenance was performed on the mower and it was well cared for. On May 24th I was in the process of mowing my acreage (3 acres). This was the second mowing for the spring of 2011. I had approximately 15 to 20 minutes of mowing left when I heard a load “pop” come from the engine of my mower, the engine quit and would not start back up. I decided to take a break before attempting to figure out what the problem was. I went into the house and came back out approximately ten minutes later to find my mower engulfed in flames. My immediate concern was not for the mower but my house that was 5 feet from the mower. I emptied two fire extinguishers on the mower and then sprayed it with water for thirty minutes before I could get the fire out. The mower I had prior to the White was a “used” [REDACTED] that worked well for 10 years before it literally fell apart; however, the engine continued to run and run safely despite the mower falling apart due to age and use. It’s not so much the money I am out but the fact that someone good have gotten seriously hurt or killed. Often times it was my 15 year-old son or 14 year-old daughter that would mow with the riding lawn mower. God forbid if that had gotten burned or worse. Or consider the fact that I had not come out of my house when I did or had driven to town for errands, my house and all of my family’s possessions would now be gone. I would like this matter looked into and I only think it fair that I be reimbursed for the new mower I had to purchase. If you wish not to comply then I will file complaints with the appropriate agencies and ask them to investigate the matter. You can understand my reluctance to purchase anything with a Kohler engine, so the new mower purchased was a [REDACTED] (only a 50” cut due to the price with no bagger) with a [REDACTED] engine. The unit was purchased from Home Depot in Sioux Falls. I do realize that many of the major brands of riding mowers are made my MDT. Your program would not let me attach photos. I have them if yo would like them. Thanks [REDACTED]

   Model

   13AP62TA090

   UPC

   ?

   Serial number

   1A108H20255

   Bought from

   TSC

   Bought

   Mar 1, 2008, about then

   Where

   Mission Hill, South Dakota: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 56, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand White Outdoor, made or sold by MTD PRODUCTS INC.

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources