BigDog A / C / R / X Series fuel-tank vent valve fitting fire-hazard recall (CPSC 13-704)

## Affected machines About 18,000 (combined Hustler + BigDog) zero-turn riding mowers and walk-behind mowers manufactured by Excel Industries, sold **September 2010 through May 2012** for $2,900-$21,000. This bulletin covers the **BigDog ride-on (zero-turn)** portion. BigDog mowers are sold in **red**. The model name and serial number are on a tag on the **left side of the frame in front of the fender**. ### Affected BigDog models and serial-number ranges | Model | Serial range | |---|---| | A Series | 11100596 – 12054999 | | C Series | 11031908 – 12054999 | | R Diablo | 12020696 – 12054999 | | R PowerBar | 12020892 – 12054999 | | R Series | 11021137 – 12054999 | | X Series | 11039001 – 12054999 | | X Diablo | 11090151 – 12054999 | The BigDog **T Series** (walk-behind, serial 11050815-12054999) is also covered by the same recall but is out of scope for this bulletin since walk-behind mowers are not in the TractorNuity zero-turn or stand-on libraries. The Hustler portion of the same recall (1500 Riding Greens, FasTrak, FasTrak Super Duty, Sport, Super Z, X-ONE) is covered by sibling bulletin **TNB02600046**. ## Issue The **fuel tank vent valve fitting** can fail to seal properly. Multiple owners reported the fitting **cracking** or **failing to seat** in the fuel-tank top, allowing fuel to slosh or leak out the vent. Fuel near a hot engine creates a fire hazard. Reported field incidents at time of recall: - 152 incidents of vent valve fittings failing - 0 injuries - 0 property damage reports The high incident count relative to the population (~0.85% failure rate at recall time) indicates this was a manufacturing-process issue rather than a wear-out failure mode. ## What to do 1. Check your model and serial number against the table above. 2. If your mower is in scope, **stop using it immediately**. 3. Contact a BigDog authorized dealer, or call Excel Industries at (800) 748-8223 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT. 4. Visit https://www.bigdogmowerco.com and click "Product Recall Info" for more information. 5. Free dealer repair (vent valve fitting replacement). ## Hazard Severity is rated **critical** because of the fire risk from fuel leakage. Although no fires or injuries had been reported at recall time, 152 fitting-failure incidents in two years is an unusually high incident rate. ## Related bulletins - **TNB02600046** covers the Hustler portion of CPSC 13-704 (1500 Riding Greens, FasTrak, FasTrak Super Duty, Sport, Super Z, X-ONE). ## Source - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, "Excel Industries Recalls Hustler and BigDog Lawn Mowers Due to Fire Hazard," Recall Alert 13-704, November 1, 2012. - Sold at Hustler and BigDog dealers nationwide from September 2010 to May 2012 for between $2,900 and $21,000. ## Library notes The seven affected BigDog SKU families are added in this same migration as 'BigDog Legacy Series' rows with year_start=2011 and year_end=2012, distinct from the modern Stout / Diablo / Alpha / Rex / BlackJack series rows also added in this migration. Some series names (R Diablo, R Series, X Series, X Diablo) overlap thematically with current BigDog model names; the (legacy) suffix in the model_name and the explicit production window distinguish the recall-scope rows.