WASHINGTON, Aug. 8, 2002 -- Briggs & Stratton Corp. is voluntarily recalling about 160,000 engines used on fun-karts. Fuel from the engine can spill out if the fun-kart overturns, posing serious fire and burn hazards to consumers.
Briggs & Stratton has received nine reports of incidents involving fun-karts that overturned and caught fire, including four consumers who suffered burns. The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC).
The recalled engines are used only on fun-karts, which look and ride like go-karts, but are for personal use. The engine models included in the recall are:
- 5HP Model Series 1352XX
- FunPower Model Series 1362XX (built on or before June 22, 1995 (950622XX)
The engines involved in this recall were manufactured in the United States.
Briggs & Stratton sold the engines between May 1992 and June 1995 to fun-kart manufacturers such as Avenger Inc., Bobs Kart Shop, Brister Thunder Karts, Carter Brothers Manuf., Hamilton, Kartco Inc., Ken-Bar Manuf. Co., Manco Products Inc., T&D; Metal Products Co., and U.S.A. Industries Inc. The engines were also sold separately to authorized distributors and dealers who may have resold them to consumers building homemade go-karts.
Retail, specialty, and power equipment stores nationwide sold the fun-karts from 1992 through 1997 for between $600 and $2,000.
Consumers should stop using the fun-karts immediately and contact a local Briggs & Stratton dealer for a free engine repair. Consumers also can contact Briggs & Stratton at (800) 999-9444 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday. or log on to the companys website at www.briggsandstratton.com to arrange for the free repair or to find a local dealer.
