DR Power Equipment Recalls Nearly 43,000 Pilot and Premier Trimmer Mowers After 19 Fires, Telling Owners to Stop Using Them Until a Free Repair

Owners of DR Power Pilot and Premier trimmer mowers have been told to park them and stop using them right away. Grass and debris can build up inside the machines and catch fire, and the company has logged 19 reports of exactly that.

The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall on Oct. 8, 2026, under recall number 27-016. It covers about 42,860 walk-behind trimmer mowers in the United States, plus about 340 sold in Canada. The fix is a free repair kit, or a free repair at an authorized dealer for owners who would rather not install it themselves.

The eight Pilot and Premier models covered

The recalled machines are orange and black walk-behind trimmer mowers, the kind used to cut tall grass, weeds and brush along fence lines, ditches and the edges of a property where a riding mower cannot reach. According to the CPSC notice, they carry DR Power logos on the motor and on the frame above the cutter head. The frame side is labeled “Premier” or “Pro,” and the model number label sits on the side of the frame.

Every serial number is included for eight models:

• Pilot: T4X1076DMN, T4X1076DMNR, T4X1076DMNSD, T4X1176DMN, T4X1176DMN-1 and T4X1176DMNR
• Premier: TR43076DMN and TR43076DMNR

The mowers sold for $380 to $550 between November 2022 and July 2026. The CPSC says they were sold at Ace, TSC, Bomgaars and other home improvement, hardware and independent power equipment stores nationwide, as well as online at drpower.com. The notice lists the manufacturer and importer as Generac Power Systems Inc. of Waukesha, Wisconsin, and says the units were made in the United States and Vietnam.

A homeowner who bought a trimmer mower in that window but is unsure of the model can check the label on the frame before doing anything else. If the number matches one on the list, the machine is covered regardless of its serial number.

Nineteen fires and two burn reports

The hazard described by the CPSC is a simple one. As the mower works through grass and weeds, clippings and other debris can pack into the machine and ignite. The agency says that creates a fire and burn hazard that poses a risk of serious injury or death.

DR Power has received 19 reports of the trimmer mowers catching fire. Two of those reports involved minor injuries, which the CPSC describes as blisters on the hands and feet. The notice does not report any serious injuries or deaths.

The recall was handled through the CPSC’s Fast Track Recall Program. Under that program, a company that agrees to move quickly must be ready to carry out a consumer-level recall offering refunds, repairs or replacements, and it must immediately stop selling and distributing the product. In return, the CPSC skips the step of making a formal preliminary finding that the product has a defect.

Broadcasters that carried the recall, including FOX 13 in Tampa Bay, reported the same core facts: nearly 43,000 machines, 19 fire reports, two minor burn injuries, and an instruction to stop using the mowers until they are repaired.

Getting the repair kit or a dealer fix

The CPSC tells owners to stop using the recalled mowers immediately and contact DR Power for the free repair kit. Owners who are not comfortable installing the kit can schedule a free repair with an authorized DR Power dealer instead. The remedy listed in the notice is a repair, not a refund or a replacement machine, so owners keep the mower once it has been fixed.

The notice lists three ways to reach the company:

• By phone at 800-854-3194, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday
• By email at [email protected]
• Online through the “Product Recalls” link at the bottom of the DR Power website

Until the repair is done, the safest place for a recalled machine is outside, cooled down and away from anything that burns. Many people store trimmer mowers in a garage or a shed next to fuel cans, bagged leaves and other yard gear, which is exactly where an unexpected fire does the most damage.

Fire safety for any walk-behind mower

The recall covers a specific defect, but debris buildup and hot engines are a concern with gas-powered yard equipment in general. Lawn safety guidance from Texas A&M’s extension service recommends letting an engine cool before refueling or putting the mower back in a storage shed, using a funnel when refueling and wiping up any spilled fuel right away, and never smoking while operating, servicing or refueling a mower.

The same guidance says to shut the engine off and disconnect the spark plug wire before cleaning, inspecting or repairing the cutting parts, and never to reach into a discharge chute to clear grass while blades are turning. Those steps matter during fall cleanup, when tall, dry growth and fallen leaves give a mower more material to pack into its housing.

Anyone who has had a fire, a burn or a near miss with a DR Power trimmer mower, or with any other consumer product, can report it to the federal government through SaferProducts.gov, the CPSC’s public incident reporting site. Reports can be filed online, by phone, by email or by mail, and the person filing can choose whether the report appears in the site’s public database.

For owners of the eight recalled models, the steps are short: check the model label, stop using the machine if it matches, and contact DR Power for the free kit or dealer repair before the next mowing.

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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.

Image: Shixart1985 – CC BY 2.0/Wikimedia Commons