Hitachi leaf blowers
4 reports to CPSC, the latest made Jan 3, 2019. A report isn’t a recall.
Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. CPSC’s own search is on saferproducts.gov.
At a glance
From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.
- 4reports to CPSC
- Jan 3, 2019the latest report was made
- Dec 10, 2016the earliest
- 3with the company’s comments
- Brand
- Hitachi
- Maker
- Hitachi Koki USA, Ltd.Makers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
- Product
- Leaf blowersCPSC’s product type: Leaf Blowers (code 1461), in Yard & Garden: Lawn Mowers, Leaf Blowers and Lawn Vacuums
By month
The numbers, as a table
| Month | Reports |
|---|---|
| January 2019 | 1 |
| May 2018 | 1 |
| November 2017 | 1 |
| December 2016 | 1 |
How badly anyone was hurt
- Emergency room 1 CPSC: Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received
- No one hurt 3 CPSC: Incident, No Injury
As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.
The reports, as CPSC published them
Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.
Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.
CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.
-
No one hurt Made Jan 3, 2019, sent to the company Feb 8, 2019, published by CPSC Feb 26, 2019
The product, in the report: Leaf Blower, Hitachi RB24EAP. Available at Lowe’s and various sources online.
The Hitachi leaf blower was being used following instructions. The first step is to prime the unit. Upon priming the unit, fuel began to gush out of the gas tank, covering various items nearby - the floor, clothes, etc.
Had an attempt been made to start the unit, the sparks may have ignited the leaking fuel.
Reaching out to the corporation, along with additional research, seems to yield that this is a common problem and design flaw.
- Model
- RB24EAP
- Bought from
- Lowe’s, Pennsylvania
- Bought
- Oct 1, 2017, about then
- Where
- Glenside, Pennsylvania: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unknown
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Hitachi, made or sold by Hitachi Koki USA, Ltd.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
Emergency room Made May 4, 2018, sent to the company Jul 13, 2018, published by CPSC Jul 27, 2018
The product, in the report: Hitachi gas powered leaf blower model RB 24EAP
I [REDACTED] bought a gas powered Hitachi leaf blower model RB24EAP from Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC located at 50 Boston Post Road in Orange, Connecticut 06477 on 11/7/14. I enclosed a copy of the original purchase receipt. While at was at my home located at [REDACTED] on 10/4/16 I was starting up the Hitachi leaf blower. The leaf blower suddenly turned powerfully as I was starting it causing my left hand pinky finger to break. My pinky finger immediately started swelling up and was very painful. I knew something very bad had happened to my pinky finger so I immediately went to Yale New Haven Hospital Emergency Room located at 20 York Street, New Haven Connecticut 06510. The hospital took x-rays and I was treated and told that I had a broken pinky finger. The Hitachi leaf blower itself turned powerfully as I was starting it causing the break. I told the hospital upon my arrival what happened and they documented it. I used the term kickback to describe what the leaf blower did, but I’m not a expert or professional on the correct term to use to describe what the leaf blower did. I contacted Hitachi regarding the incident I and also brought the leaf blower to [REDACTED] for an evaluation “only” of the leaf blower. They found that the fan somehow got loose causing the kickback. I have enclosed copies of their report, pictures of the Hitachi leaf blower including all the labels I found on the leaf blower and box, and a copy of the hospital report and I have a copy of the x-rays.
- Model
- Model RB 24EAP
- UPC
- See attachments
- Serial number
- See attachments
- Bought from
- Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC, Connecticut
- Bought
- Nov 7, 2014
- Where
- Woodbridge, Connecticut: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 64, Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Hitachi, made or sold by Hitachi Koki USA, Ltd.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received
-
No one hurt Made Nov 3, 2017, sent to the company Mar 1, 2018, published by CPSC Mar 15, 2018
The product, in the report: Hitachi RB 24EAP Blower
I purchased my blower at Lowes on May 29, 2017. I noticed in the instruction manual that it is best to use low or no ethanol fuel. I purchased no ethanol fuel specifically for my new blower. I have used it 10 to 15 times to blow grass clippings from my driveway and sidewalk. It has been easy to start and use. On October 29th, when priming, fuel squirted up from the fuel tank. Upon inspection, I noticed that the clear fuel line appeared to be dissolved where it meets up with the plug to the fuel tank. Had the engine started, this could have posed a fire risk resulting in a burn or worse. I’ve used lawn equipment all my life, this is the first time that I have seen something like this on equipment that is less than 6 months old with low use. This appears to be manufacturing / part defect. Doing some quick online research, many others are experiencing the same issue with this model.
- Model
- RB 24EAP
- UPC
- P960856
- Bought from
- Lowe’s
- Bought
- May 29, 2017
- Where
- Lafayette, Louisiana: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 47, Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Hitachi, made or sold by Hitachi Koki USA, Ltd.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Dec 10, 2016, sent to the company Dec 19, 2016, published by CPSC Jan 4, 2017
The product, in the report: Hitachi 2-stroke gas powered blower model RB24EAP
I was using a Hitachi 23.9cc 2-stroke gas powered blower model RB24EAP blowing leafs off my patio. The problem with this product occurred when the nut and washer holding the white blower wheel came off. I removed the cover and replaced the washer and nut but it happened a second time after only 2 hours of intermittent operation. The danger this could result in is the nut and/or washer come flying out of the slotted cover and strike anyone standing close by. The nut and washer should be of some kind of locking washer/nut to prevent it from coming lose during operation.
- Model
- RB24EAP
- Serial number
- P833060
- Bought from
- LOWES, Pennsylvania
- Bought
- Nov 17, 2013
- Where
- Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unknown
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand HITACHI, made or sold by Hitachi Koki USA, Ltd.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
CPSC’s disclaimer
Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.
Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.
Sources
Sources
-
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.
Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.
Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.