Chicago Electric from Harbor Freight Tools batteries
1 report to CPSC, the latest made Feb 23, 2017. 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.
- 1report to CPSC
- Feb 23, 2017the latest report was made
- Feb 23, 2017the earliest
- 0with the company’s comments
- Brand
- Chicago Electric from Harbor Freight Tools
- Maker
- Harbor Freight ToolsMakers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
- Product
- BatteriesCPSC’s product type: Batteries (code 884), in Electronics: Batteries & Chargers
By month
The numbers, as a table
| Month | Reports |
|---|---|
| February 2017 | 1 |
How badly anyone was hurt
- First aid 1 CPSC: Injury, First Aid Received by Non-Medical Professional
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.
-
First aid Made Feb 23, 2017, sent to the company Mar 7, 2017, published by CPSC Mar 21, 2017
The product, in the report: Chicago Electric brand from Harbor Freight Tools. Battery part number 68860 being used in 18 volt1/4 inch impact driver with serial number 363831451.
On Tuesday February 21, 2017 at approximately 11:00 am, I was using a 1/4 inch impact driver to install 1.25 inch screws when the tools battery exploded without warning in my hand. The tool is and 18 volt model made by Chicago Electric an sold by Harbor Freight Tools with a serial number of 363831451. The battery that exploded only has a part number of 68860.
The battery and driver was operating normal until this incident when there was a very loud bang very similar to a gunshot. I immediately felt pieces of debris hit my arms chest and face and was left unable to see from what felt like sand hitting my face and eyes. The tool was at most two feet from my face. My ears were also ringing from the sound as it was so loud. I was unsure the extent of my injuries until I was able to clear my eyes enough to see though they were blurry for some time.
It was at this time I found I was bleeding from numerous bleeding cuts on both arms with one cut having a small piece of the battery case stuck in it. My right wrist and forearm had both small cuts and burn on it as this was the hand I was holding tool in. My left arm had cuts on forearm and upper inside arm with some bruising starting. Both arms and face had a black powder which appeared to be from the actual battery insides that burned while on my skin. I needed to rinse eyes continuously to get out what felt like sand and was stinging seriously. My t-shirt had small pieces of debris stuck in the fabric.
The sound was loud enough to be heard from people both downstairs and another outside with closed windows that was there with me. Pieces of debris were scattered throughout the room I was in as well as hallway and room adjacent to hallway. The battery case is blown apart with individual battery cylinders missing and other material burnt and hanging out. The debris was made up of both metal and plastic including a metal cylinder that is split open into sharp edges and bulged out. It appears to be an actual battery casing.
I took pictures of injuries and the aftermath of incident including the tool and battery immediately after, as soon as I was able to. I also gathered pieces of battery debris and have kept them along with the exploded battery itself as evidence of incident.
It has been even more upsetting to find upon a Google search that this has happened before with these exact batteries and has been reported before. The injuries sustained by this failure could easily cause far more serious injury and needs to be dealt with. There is no warning prior to this an does not appear to have been in the other cases either.
- Model
- 18 volt,1500mAh NiCd Battery Pack
- UPC
- 68860
- Serial number
- 363831451
- Bought from
- Harbor Freight Tools, Racine, Wisconsin
- Bought
- Oct 20, 2016, about then
- Where
- Kenosha, Wisconsin: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 39, Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Chicago Electric from Harbor Freight Tools, made or sold by Harbor Freight Tools
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Injury, First Aid Received by Non-Medical Professional
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.