CPSC Orders Recall Of Pressure Washers

In August 2025, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) ordered the recall of around 764,000 Ryobi electric pressure washers sold between July 2017 and June 2024. According to the recall, the unit’s capacitor can overheat and burst, ejecting parts with considerable force and posing a substantial risk of injury. So far, the CPSC has received 135 reports of overheating. This includes 41 explosions and 32 injuries to fingers, hands, faces, and eyes.

Viable theories of liability 

• Design defect – If the capacitor design was inherently unsafe (and a safer version existed) with more robust insulation, thermal protection circuits, and pressure relief enclosures, a design defect claim should be viable. The courts will examine whether the risks were foreseeable and whether a feasible alternative could have reduced risk.

• Manufacturing defect – In some cases, only some of the units fail. In this case, certain capacitors may have been poorly manufactured. Plaintiffs can pursue a manufacturing defect claim if that’s the case. If specific units show deviation from expected standards, a lawsuit can be viable on the grounds of a manufacturing defect.

• Failure to warn – Plaintiffs can argue that Ryobi failed to warn users of the risk of overheating or failed to provide proper instructions on identifying the signs of capacitor stress. The absence of warnings on packaging, product pages, or instruction manuals could cause extra exposure.

• Post-sale duty of care – Once Ryobi became aware of the risk, it should have taken immediate action. A plaintiff could argue that the recall or remedy (like a repair kit) was inadequate or that the notice failed to reach the consumers. In this case, the recall only featured a repair kit rather than a full refund. This point might be used to challenge the remedy’s adequacy.

Specific considerations for Florida plaintiffs 

• Statute of limitations – In Florida, you have 2 years to file a product liability lawsuit from the date of your injury. If you miss this deadline, you can’t file a lawsuit at all.

• Strict liability versus negligence – In a product liability lawsuit, you don’t necessarily have to prove negligence. You only need to show that you used the product in a way that could readily be anticipated by the manufacturer, and through normal use, were injured by their product.

• Punitive damages – If the company knew about the defect and buried that information, causing more consumers to be injured, the company could face a claim for punitive damages.

• Expert proof and causation – Given the technical nature of the product, causation will require strong expert testimony.

• Joint and several liability – Other companies may also be responsible for the problem. If, for example, the company that developed the capacitor contributed to the problem, that company can also be named as a defendant.

Talk to a Florida Product Liability Lawyer Today 

Halpern, Santos & Pinkert represent the interests of Florida residents who have been injured by a dangerous or defective product. Call our Florida personal injury lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your next steps right away.