When a storm hits Kentucky, you worry about a long-term power outage. While you don’t plan to go off the grid and set up your own power system entirely, you do want something to help until they get the lines back up again. So, you go out and you buy a generator.
If you chose a specific Honda generator, you may have just put yourself in far more danger than if you had simply lived with no power for a while. The company just had to recall around 200,000 units on the grounds that they can catch on fire.
Serial numbers
News of the recall came out on March 21, 2018. If Honda made your generator, it’s worth taking a look at the serial number to see if it is part of the recall. Here are the ranges for those serial numbers:
Models: EU2200iTA, EU2200iTA1, EU2200iTA2Serial number range: EAMT-1000001 through EAMT-1260796
Model: EU2200iTASerial number range: EAJT-1000001 through EAJT-1005474
To locate the serial number, just look on the generator’s side panels, in the lower corners.
Initial reports of the recall came from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. They say that the issue could lead to burn injuries and fires.
That issue, per the CPSC, is that these portable generators may have faulty fuel valves, which can allow some of the gasoline to leak out. Overall, 19 reports have come in to Honda — with no injuries as of the latest reports — saying that fuel is leaking out.
Visual clues
Not sure if you have one of the generators covered by the recall? It is a small generator that, while the main base is black, should have a camo cover or a red cover. It should also say “HONDA” in white letters on the side and near the controls. Some were branded as the “Companion.”
You may also want to consider where you bought it. Most of them moved through home improvement stores like Home Depot, while others went through official Honda Power Equipment dealers. You could also buy them online. The sales ran for about a year, starting in February of 2018 and ending in February of 2019. The price usually sat between $1,100 and $1,300, if you simply want to check your receipts and credit card statements.
A serious hazard
While early reports do not indicate injuries at this time, it is also clear that these generators are a serious hazard, a risk only made worse by the fact that they’d often see use in an emergency situation when it may be harder to call for help. If you or a loved one suffers injuries because of any dangerous product, you have to know what legal steps to take.
