10 Of The Biggest Harbor Freight Recalls In Recent History

If you need tools for construction or repair jobs, you can buy them at countless stores both in person and online. Everyone has their own preferences; some like to support local brick and mortar stores, while others prefer the deals they find at larger chains. And when it comes to saving money, it's difficult to find better prices than those at Harbor Freight. But saving money isn't always what it's cracked up to be.

When it comes to quality and durability, Harbor Freight tools generally punch well above their price tags, but sometimes the store's manufacturers produce a lemon. We don't just mean tools that aren't worth buying; we're talking about items that were mismanufactured and had to be recalled because they threatened user safety. Many of these items were sold in reasonable but somewhat low numbers — just in the tens of thousands of units — but others proved far more popular before the general public learned about the dangers they posed. Sometimes, Harbor Freight sold hundreds of thousands, if not millions of defective devices, and had to give a refund on every single one.

Here are some of the biggest recalls of Harbor Freight tools in recent history.

Harbor Freight sells quite a few tools designed for the winter, including usual suspects such as scoop shovels and less common items like propane heaters. Normally, heaters are designed to withstand their own heat, but sometimes accidents happen.

Harbor Freight sells several outdoor propane heaters. This catalog includes the One Stop Gardens Propane Heater (item #59674), which is a heating unit you attach to a standard 20-pound propane tank. This model uses radiant heat in order to make it "less susceptible to wind dissipation." Judging by the last time Harbor Freight sold a One Stop Gardens heater, that probably isn't the only reason this model opts for radiant heat.

In July of 2021, Harbor Freight had to recall 15,000 and 30,000 BTU single and dual tank top One Stop Gardens Tank Top Heaters (item #s 63072 and 63073) that were sold between December of 2015 and April of 2021. According to the recall notice, windy weather could redirect the device's flame to the rear of the unit, melting the safety shut off feature that turns it off when tipped over. This flaw reportedly posed a burn risk to users. Harbor Freight had to recall 350,000 units and issue refunds to owners.

Harbor Freight doesn't sell just tools; it also sells accessories designed for car trailers and automobiles in general. However, even though Harbor Freight isn't primarily a car parts dealership, all its car parts products must abide by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

Currently, Harbor Freight sells nine utility trailers designed to haul cargo. All these items belong to the chain store's Haul Master brand and include actual trailers, trailer ramps and stabilizers, and rails. Harbor Freight's once offered a wider variety of utility trailer kits, but these were phased out not because they couldn't handle the rigors of hauling freight but because other drivers couldn't see them at night.

In late 2016, Harbor Freight recalled 10 different utility trailer kits, including the Haul Master 1,195-pound Capacity Heavy Duty Folding Trailer (item #90154) and the Haul Master 600-pound Capacity Tag-Along Trailer (item #66771). Between January 2006 and April of 2016, these kits were sold with defective Deluxe 12V Light Kits. Customers who purchased one of these trailers received a free replacement light kit, but only if they submitted a form requesting a replacement. All in all, this recall affected 374,000 units between the ten products.

While Harbor Freight sells many quality product lines, the store also has quite a few stinkers. There are some tools you shouldn't buy at Harbor Freight, one of which is the Pittsburgh Automotive Mechanics Roller Seat. This item is poorly designed and poorly built, and this craftsmanship curse once extended to a Pittsburgh seat that used to populate store shelves.

If you search Harbor Freight for seats, one of the first items to pop up will be the Pittsburgh Pneumatic Roller Seat (item #s 46319, 61160, and 45342). Unlike the Mechanics Roller Seat, the Pneumatic Roller Seat is praised for its build quality and ease of use. We can possibly trace these glowing reviews to the product's previous incarnation, which dialed the Pittsburgh Automotive Mechanics Roller Seat up to 11.

However, in February of 2022, Harbor Freight had to recall all Pittsburgh Automotive Pneumatic Roller Seats sold from July of 2014 through September of 2021. The store cited unspecified issues with the connection between the seat and the seat post and claimed the item could break, making users fall and potentially injure themselves. Because this issue plagued three separate models of the seat (item #s 61896, 46319, and 63456), Harbor Freight ended up recalling over 478,000 units. The store offered refunds and replacements for all impacted seats.

If there's any Harbor Freight product type with particularly high reliability, it has to be the chain store's flashlights. Harbor Freight's flashlights are of mostly high quality, and while some aren't as bright or long-lasting as others, even the store's worst flashlights are still worthwhile products. But there's always an exception to the rule. 

Among Harbor Freight's sizable selection of flashlights, 12 can be considered "mini flashlights." These are smaller and less expensive than your standard flashlight. Currently, the chain sells two varieties of 12V miniature rechargeables (item #57497 and #64109). Both use LED lights, and both provide 80 lumens. Plus, both are as cheap as the dickens, topping out at $5. A price like that sounds too good to be true, and unfortunately, for many it was.

A previous version of the 80 Lumen 12V Rechargeable Mini Flashlight (item #64109) suffered from a critical flaw that could make the item overheat while charging. The flashlight wouldn't get hot enough to start a fire, but it could potentially injure users. In February of 2019, Harbor Freight recalled around 500,000 copies of the product and offered refunds to anyone who purchased one. Unfortunately, this mini flashlight was only the latest in a line of electrical products that had to be recalled due to component failures leading to overheating, as we will soon discuss.

Previously, we went over Harbor Freight's Haul Master Utility Trailer Kits and their defective lights. These components were technically separate from the trailers themselves, so customers still had working trailers until the replacement parts arrived. Unfortunately, that recall was only one of several lemons of lights that originated on Harbor Freight's shelves.

Currently, Harbor Freight sells 19 light kits designed for trailers and towing vehicles. These include 12V lights, LED signal lights, and even stick-on reflectors. These items belong to Harbor Freight's Kenway brand, which also covers automotive parts such as wiring kits, trailer adapters, and running lights. Harbor Freight used to offer a wider variety of trailer light kits, but these were phased out, possibly due to issues that necessitated a recall.

A sizable number of Haul Master LED Trailer Light Kits (item #60597) and Haul Master Deluxe 12V Trailer Light Kits (item #93861 and #69624) did not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The lights weren't bright enough (if at all) to be visible to other drivers, thus increasing the risk of crashes. Between these three products, Harbor Freight had to recall around 888,000 kits, and like the broken lights included in the utility trailer kits, the company issued free replacements to purchasers.

Harbor Freight owns quite a few tool brands, including Bauer, Icon, Pittsburgh, and Predator. Not sells; owns. As a result, many Harbor Freight products have a lot of overlap. If an issue plagues one tool, the same is probably true for similar Harbor Freight products, and that goes double for problems that result in a recall.

Harbor Freight sells four chainsaws that belong to the Atlas, Bauer, and Portland brands. Of these tools, three are electric — two cordless and one wired. Last year, we posted an article about five of the best chainsaws you could buy at Harbor Freight. One of these items, the Portland 9 Amp 14-inch Electric Chainsaw, is no longer sold, but it isn't the only chainsaw to disappear from Harbor Freight's stores.

Despite bearing different names, the Portland, One Stop Gardens, and Chicago Electric Chainsaws were essentially just the same product with different paint schemes, as they all shared the same SKU (item #67255 and #61592). This also meant they shared the same fatal flaw: Their switches could fail to engage properly, causing them to still run even when they're supposed to be turned off. You can probably guess how big of a threat this created for user life and limb. In May of 2018, Harbor Freight had to recall around 1.02 million of these faulty units and offered replacements.

Harbor Freight's Gordon Utility Knife is one of the best utility knives out there, budget or otherwise. It's affordable, durable, and easy to use. Plus, you shouldn't injure yourself if you use the item properly. The same cannot be said for another Gordon-brand knife once sold at Harbor Freight.

For context, the Gordon name is attached to a wide variety of items, mostly bladed instruments such as utility knives, precision and hobby knives, and even some machetes and hunting knives. If you organize search results by ratings, smack dab in the middle of the list is the 3⅖-inch Tactical Folding Knife (item #57455). Customers love its ease of use and durability, which is a vast improvement on a prior Gordon-brand folding knife.

Between July of 2008 and July of 2019, Harbor Freight sold a more basic Gordon Folding Knife (item #97668). This particular knife had a faulty locking mechanism that failed to engage when the blade was fully unfolded, which posed a fairly dangerous laceration threat. In October of 2019, Harbor Freight issued a full recall of 1.1 million knives and offered a gift card refund for all purchasers. As the item wasn't expensive, each gift card only totaled $5 plus sales tax.

Some of Harbor Freight's best cordless drills belong to its Bauer, Warrior, and Hercules brands. The store used to offer a larger range of cordless drills, but that selection tapered off over time, partially due to one nasty recall.

When you hear the name "Drill Master," you probably assume the brand specializes in drills. Not so at Harbor Freight. The store's current lineup of Drill Master products is everything but drills. You can buy a Drill Master-branded portable hole jig kit, a Drill Master circular saw, and a Drill Master set of hollow punches. The closest the line has to proper drills is the Drill Master 15-foot Drill Powered Drain Auger (item #57201 and #93483), but that just uses a drill to unclog sinks and toilets. Where are the drills that dig into wood? Well, one was discontinued due to the threat it posed to users.

In December of 2015, Harbor Freight recalled its Drill Master 18 Volt Cordless Drills (item #68239 and #68287). Like the previously mentioned electric chainsaws, this item's internal switching mechanism could become stuck, but instead of posing a laceration risk, cordless drills suffering from this issue could overheat, which could not only burn owners but also start fires. This issue affected all Drill Master cordless drills sold between May of 2011 and September of 2015, and Harbor Freight ended up recalling and issuing replacements for approximately 1.7 million items.

While Harbor Freight sells quite a few products that can help you accessorize your car, RV, or trailer, how do you install these parts? Why, with Harbor Freight tools of course. The store offers plenty of items designed for working on cars, although some haven't quite lived up to expectations.

If you love tinkering with vehicles, you need a car jack. Harbor Freight sells a wide variety of jacks. The most basic ones, floor jacks, make working on cars easier by sliding under them and lifting them off the ground, while jack stands lift these vehicles even further and can support more weight. At least, they're supposed to.

In May of 2020, Harbor Freight issued a recall for three jack stand models, all of which belonged to the Pittsburgh Automotive line. These included the 3-Ton and 6-Ton Heavy Duty Steel Jack Stands (item #56371, #56373, #61196, and #61197). Without warning, these items could stop working when under heavy loads and just drop whatever they're holding. At best, this could damage nearby property and the car the items were supporting; at worst, the loads could crash on top of anyone underneath and gravely injure them. According to the manufacturer, this defect was the result of aging production tools. Harbor Freight ended up recalling 1.7 million of the marred units and issued everyone who bought one either a full cash refund or a gift card totaling the item's shelf price plus an extra 20%.

Every DIY home mechanic requires a reliable tool belt, but nothing is more important than must-have pieces of safety equipment that keep you safe through the standard rigors of home DIY repair and when things go awry. Safety equipment is supposed to save your butt, so the last thing anyone wants is a nonworking safety item.

Throughout this article, the items we've discussed were primarily exclusive Harbor Freight brands, but the store carries plenty of third-party items. This is the case for fire safety products such as fire extinguishers. Currently, you can only purchase First Alert-branded fire extinguishers at Harbor Freight, but several years ago, you could also buy Kidde Fire Extinguishers — another third-party manufacturer of fire and home safety products.

Unlike other entries on this list, Harbor Freight didn't issue a recall for Kidde-brand Fire Extinguishers; the Kidde company did that, but Harbor Freight participated in the recall efforts because it stocked the problematic products. In November of 2017, Kidde notified numerous stores that its Plastic Handle Fire Extinguishers and Push-Button Pindicator Fire Extinguishers could become clogged, and their nozzles could detach with enough force. This recall affected 134 models dating back to 1973. Due to the scale of impacted fire extinguishers, Kidde — and by extension retailers such as Harbor Freight — collected a grand total of 37.8 million faulty fire extinguishers in the United States alone. The reach of the recall also ended up gathering 2.7 million defective Kiddie Fire Extinguishers from Canada and 6,730 from Mexico.