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Garden Tiller Blows Up, Nearly Injures Family
Five On Your Side Steps In To Help
POSTED: 6:53 p.m. EDT October 7, 2002
CHARDON, Ohio -- A Chardon family is thankful that no one was hurt after their garden tiller blew up without warning.
After the malfunction, the manufacturer of the tiller and the store where Vanessa Brewster bought it would not take it back, so she contacted Troubleshooter Chris Caswell.
In addition to getting her tiller replaced, Brewster said she called Five On Your Side to warn others of how dangerous the tiller could be.
Recently, Brewster's husband was busy tilling the garden when his young daughter called him over to play.
"So he left the roto-tiller running and walked away from it, and when he got about 10 feet from it, he said it sounded like a bomb went off," Brewster said.
The engine casing shattered, sending metal fragments everywhere.
Brewster said that, after the tiller exploded, she found pieces of metal as far as 15 feet away. She said it isn't about a machine just malfunctioning -- it's about the fact that someone could have been hurt.
"The (pieces are) really sharp; they could have easily penetrated somebody," Brewster said.
Brewster called Sears, where the family bought the Craftsman 8-horsepower tiller three years ago. She said they used it only nine times. But the store told her they wouldn't replace it.
"And he said, 'Well, it's over 2 years old, and you have a two-year warranty, so basically, you're out of luck,'" Brewster said.
Five On Your Side skipped the serviceman and gave the manager a call. He offered her two options.
"They said they would split the cost of (repairing it) or give us a smaller roto-tiller," Brewster said.
Brewster chose the latter option and picked up the new tiller Sunday.
Five On Your Side told Brewster to file a report with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is now investigating the tiller for possible defects.
If you experience a similar situation with any product, don't wait for someone to be hurt. Contact the CPSC at (800) 638-2772.
Do you want Chris Caswell to troubleshoot for you? Call the Troubleshooter tip line at (216) 431-3457, or click here to fill out a complaint form.
After the malfunction, the manufacturer of the tiller and the store where Vanessa Brewster bought it would not take it back, so she contacted Troubleshooter Chris Caswell.
In addition to getting her tiller replaced, Brewster said she called Five On Your Side to warn others of how dangerous the tiller could be.
Recently, Brewster's husband was busy tilling the garden when his young daughter called him over to play.
"So he left the roto-tiller running and walked away from it, and when he got about 10 feet from it, he said it sounded like a bomb went off," Brewster said.
The engine casing shattered, sending metal fragments everywhere.
Brewster said that, after the tiller exploded, she found pieces of metal as far as 15 feet away. She said it isn't about a machine just malfunctioning -- it's about the fact that someone could have been hurt.
"The (pieces are) really sharp; they could have easily penetrated somebody," Brewster said.
Brewster called Sears, where the family bought the Craftsman 8-horsepower tiller three years ago. She said they used it only nine times. But the store told her they wouldn't replace it.
"And he said, 'Well, it's over 2 years old, and you have a two-year warranty, so basically, you're out of luck,'" Brewster said.
Five On Your Side skipped the serviceman and gave the manager a call. He offered her two options.
"They said they would split the cost of (repairing it) or give us a smaller roto-tiller," Brewster said.
Brewster chose the latter option and picked up the new tiller Sunday.
Five On Your Side told Brewster to file a report with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is now investigating the tiller for possible defects.
If you experience a similar situation with any product, don't wait for someone to be hurt. Contact the CPSC at (800) 638-2772.
Do you want Chris Caswell to troubleshoot for you? Call the Troubleshooter tip line at (216) 431-3457, or click here to fill out a complaint form.
Copyright 2002 by NewsNet5. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
