John Deere Z760R fire hazard from Kawasaki engine voltage regulator (CPSC 24-256)

## Affected machines This bulletin covers the **John Deere Z760R** portion of CPSC recall 24-256. The Z760R is John Deere's largest residential ZTrak zero-turn mower, equipped with a Kawasaki engine. The recall is **engine-specific**, not mower-specific. Z760R units in scope are those with a Kawasaki engine (model year 2021-2023) bearing the defective 21066-0785 voltage regulator. The engine model and serial numbers are on the engine fan housing. ### Recalled Kawasaki engine models (MY 2021-2023) FJ400D, FS600V, FS651V, FX691V, FX730V, FX801V, FX850V, FXT00V. The full list of specification numbers is published on the Kawasaki product-recall page (linked below). ### Other John Deere products in the recall (not zero-turns) The same CPSC 24-256 recall also covers these John Deere products, which are outside the TractorNuity zero-turn library: - John Deere Gator TX 4x2 and Gator TS 4x2 utility vehicles - Service engines for X350R / X350 / X354 / X370 / X380 / X384 / X390 / X394 lawn tractors built MY2016-2020 (only those units that received a replacement service engine during a prior repair) If you own one of these other JD products with a Kawasaki engine, contact John Deere using the contact info below to verify whether your specific unit is in scope. ## Issue The **21066-0785 voltage regulator** in the recalled Kawasaki engines can fail thermally. When the voltage regulator fails, the engine overheats and can ignite. Critically, **the failure can occur while the equipment is in storage** — not just during operation. Owners cannot rely on simply parking the mower as a workaround. A widely-shared mitigation among owners while waiting for the dealer repair is to **disconnect the negative battery terminal** when the mower is not in use, since the voltage regulator's failure mode involves continued current flow. Reported field incidents at time of recall (US): - 8 reports of fires - 0 injuries ## What to do 1. Find your engine model and serial number on the engine fan housing of your Z760R. 2. Check your engine model against the list above; if it's one of the eight covered models, also confirm the specification number against Kawasaki's published list at https://kawasakienginesusa.com/support-resources/product-recall. 3. If your mower is in scope, **stop using it immediately** and store it away from combustible materials. Consider disconnecting the battery's negative terminal as an additional precaution while waiting for the dealer repair. 4. Contact Deere & Company at (800) 537-8233, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET, Saturday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. ET. Or visit https://www.deere.com/en/parts-and-service/recall-information/. 5. You may also contact Kawasaki Motors USA directly at (866) 836-4463. ## Related bulletins The Z760R is also covered by **TNB02600014** (CPSC 25-083, January 2025), which is a separate, later JD-specific recall on Z720E / Z730M / Z740R / Z760R Kawasaki engines from MY2018 through September 2024. Both recalls involve voltage regulator failures, but the production windows and affected models differ. Z760R owners should check both bulletins to determine which (or both) applies to their unit. A sibling bulletin **TNB02600027** covers the Kubota Z726XKW portion of the same CPSC 24-256 recall. Other affected brands (Bad Boy, BigDog, Bobcat, Cub Cadet, Hustler) are not currently in the TractorNuity library; owners of those brands should follow the manufacturer-specific contact information published at https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Kawasaki-Motors-USA-Recalls-Engines-Used-in-Bad-Boy-Mowers-BigDog-Bobcat-Cub-Cadet-Hustler-John-Deere-and-Kubota-Brand-Lawn-and-Garden-Equipment-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards. ## Hazard Severity is rated **critical** because of the fire risk, including the in-storage failure mode that can ignite without operator presence. ## Source - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, recall 24-256, "Kawasaki Motors USA Recalls Engines Used in Bad Boy Mowers, BigDog, Bobcat, Cub Cadet, Hustler, John Deere and Kubota Brand Lawn and Garden Equipment Due to Fire and Burn Hazards," June 6, 2024. - Kawasaki product recall page: https://kawasakienginesusa.com/support-resources/product-recall/product-recall-24-256 - Sold at John Deere dealers nationwide from April 2021 through December 2023 for between $4,000 and $15,500 (price spans the broader recall-scope products; Z760R specifically lands in the upper portion of that range).