Predator generators
5 reports to CPSC, the latest made Feb 2, 2026. 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.
- 5reports to CPSC
- Feb 2, 2026the latest report was made
- Nov 24, 2017the earliest
- 3with the company’s comments
- Brand
- Predator
- Maker
- Harbor Freight ToolsMakers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
- Product
- GeneratorsIncluding power plantsCPSC’s product type: Generators or Power Plants (code 606), in Home Maintenance and Structures: Electrical Systems
Other ways the reports write the brand (2)
“Predator Brand by Harbor Freight” and “Preditor”
By month
The numbers, as a table
| Month | Reports |
|---|---|
| February 2026 | 1 |
| September 2025 | 1 |
| July 2025 | 1 |
| December 2022 | 1 |
| November 2017 | 1 |
How badly anyone was hurt
- Emergency room 1 CPSC: Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received
- First aid 1 CPSC: Injury, First Aid Received by Non-Medical Professional
- No one hurt 1 CPSC: Incident, No Injury
- No incident, no one hurt 2 CPSC: No 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.
-
Emergency room Made Feb 2, 2026, sent to the company Feb 3, 2026, published by CPSC Feb 18, 2026
The product, in the report: Harbor Freight Predator 5000 duel fuel gen6
The generator caught fire a hour after it ran out of propane and burned my truck up .my truck is a complete lose
- Model
- 5000
- Bought from
- Harbor Freight
- Bought
- May 13, 2025, about then
- Where
- United States: Other
- Who was involved
- Age 58, Female
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Predator, made or sold by Harbor Freight Tools
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received
-
No incident, no one hurt Made Sep 20, 2025, sent to the company Sep 24, 2025, published by CPSC Nov 28, 2025
The product, in the report: Predator 5000 generator
My predator 5000 generator caught on fire in the front where the switch board is
- Bought from
- Harbor freight
- Bought
- Aug 5, 2025, about then
- Where
- Supply, North Carolina: Mobile/
Manufactured Home - Who was involved
- Age 44, Female
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Predator, made or sold by Harbor Freight Tools
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- No Incident, No Injury
-
First aid Made Jul 12, 2025, sent to the company Jul 16, 2025, published by CPSC Jul 30, 2025
The product, in the report: Harbor Freight , Predator 5000, inverter generator, dual fuel, runs on gasoline and propane , also has a remote starting ability, for remote starting from a more safe distance The units are about 100 pounds on wheels and pretty quiet, if not for the stink off leaking propane you would hardly know it was there
In the process of normal use of a generator to provide supplemental electricity using a Harbor Freight Predator Brand 5000 inverter generator dual fuel. With the brand new product run on propane within the first 30 days I was smelling excessive propane around the running, and even not running item. I started turning the gas off when not in use, but during use the smell became so strong I truly was in fear of an explosion from all the propane that leaks during normal use. Being my only source of electricity I was forced to push it away from where I was living to avoid so much inhalation, I did start getting head aches and feeling sick. And was pretty sure it was the generator. I’m no expert but it was obvious that something wasn’t right. As the unit started running worse and smelling worse I moved it away to a more safe distance, but after just a couple months it was really causing some anxiety thinking it was going to make a spark and explode.
It was my only source of power and by the end of the 3rd month I was sure that the headaches and sick feelings were from the propane poisoning me at dangerous even deadly levels, I felt it was just too dangerous, and becoming almost impossible to get started let alone the fear of an explosion from any spark, and how sick it was making me feel!
The product is not safe and should be recalled immediately before any one possibly is killed by explosion or just poisoned from the leaking gas at deadly levels!!!
Unfortunately the original warranty of only 3 months has long passed just sitting in the box in my living room about 5 months, then a few more using it I was several months past the factory warranty, but considering how truly unsafe it was I figured Harbor Freight would want to take care of their problem before it turned deadly as I imagine it could become real fast. But they were not concerned in the slightest
- Model
- Predator Inverter Generator 5000 Dual Fuel
- UPC
- 70143
- Serial number
- 70143
- Where
- Boise, Idaho: Industrial
- Who was involved
- Age 57, Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Predator Brand by Harbor Freight, made or sold by Harbor Freight Tools
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Injury, First Aid Received by Non-Medical Professional
-
No one hurt Made Dec 19, 2022, sent to the company Dec 22, 2022, published by CPSC Jan 9, 2023
The product, in the report: Predator 3500 generator
Predator 3500 generator leaks gas when not running
- Model
- 56720
- Bought from
- Harbor freight
- Bought
- Sep 29, 2021
- Where
- Milford, Michigan: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unknown
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Predator, made or sold by Harbor Freight Tools
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No incident, no one hurt Made Nov 24, 2017, sent to the company Feb 5, 2018, published by CPSC Feb 27, 2018
The product, in the report: Predator 2000 super quiet generator
Predator brand generators sold by Harbor Frieght and others have a DC outlet that is the same dimensions as an AC outlet. The generators come with a cable adapter that plugs into the outlet to provide dc for charging batteries etc. The problem is this cord fits perfectly into AC outlets and Extension cords. When this is done this places a potentially lethal 120 volts onto these exposed alligator clips.
DC outlets should be a T arrangement so the cords won’t fit into AC sockets.
I am certain this product WILL CAUSE DEATH OR INJURY if not corrected,
Please feel free to contact me for more information or explaination.
- Where
- Crawfordville, Florida: Place of Recreation or Sports
- Who was involved
- Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Preditor, made or sold by Harbor Freight Tools
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- No 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.