Harbor Freight gets million dollar fine

Mont G&J wrote:
"National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has hit Harbor Freight Tools with a $1 million civil penalty because it did not follow federal guidelines regarding the recall of more than 800,000 trailer Light Kits (improper side light)."

I sometimes think the Federal Government would rather harm an American business than provide reasonable guidance.

dodge guy wrote:
Well the fine is only for the trailer light kits it seems. Nothing else! But knowing what you need is also important! If you don't know you need side lights on a trailer then you need to do more research. And what happens when you buy the kit and have a longer trailer that requires a middle market lamp? Is that Harbor Freights fault for not knowing what it's going on?

Well unless advertised as a COMPLETE KIT I don't think the NHTSA has a leg to stand on!

Then comes the requirement for a recall 800,000 kits, many likely bought with cash, good luck finding the current owner!!!

If you read some of the replies from that link someone in the replies stated that the fine was only 400000 dollars it will be 600000 more if they don't pay on time. More sensationalized journalism.

That being said, we have no idea why the fine was really levied. Some one at Harbor Freight might have actually been trying to so something on the sly.

There stuff is all cheap junk. But, so is everything else you buy these days. I've gotten so I do a lot of my shopping at Antique and Thrift Stores these days.

Desert Captain wrote:
Don't know why parachutes made your list. Checked their website and they have never had one returned that was defective. :h

I see what you did there...;)

Desert Captain wrote:
Don't know why parachutes made your list. Checked their website and they have never had one returned that was defective. :h

:B :B :B

Lantley wrote:
Its Harbour freights fault for getting into a sales arena and not knowing all the rules and requirements. They crossed a line and unknowingly found themselves under the NHTSA jurisdiction. When they decided to sell trailers they needed to do their homework and know all the requirements to sell them on a nationwide scale.
Ignorance of the law is seldom a viable excuse.

They were not selling trailers. It was a light kit.

About 10years ago I remodeled the kitchen in my former stix & brix. Total gut and workover. I purchased a cheap table saw from HF and used it for the remodel. After the work was done I sold it on craigslist for 75% what I bought it for new a few weeks earlier. I would've kept it but only had a one car garage and needed the space. It was so much cheaper than renting the saw.

Steve

Bought a Porter Cable 150# pancake compressor, it leaked down in about five minutes. Went back. Bought the HF for $99. It's been running about 4 years. Even use it more than my big Craftsman at home.

I like their screwdrivers.

gbopp wrote:

agesilaus wrote:
Do the pliers and adjustable wrenches have too many moving part?
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Well their vice grips, don't. Grip that is and their adjustable wrenches have slop in the movable jaw so it does not reliably lock onto a bolt head or nut.

The alarming thing from RVers standpoint is that the towing supplies they sell do not meet the required standards

I have one of their 18V cordless drills around here. I got it to use on the jacks on a RV. The battery is lucky to last thru 2 uses on the jacks and the torque is underwheming. My 18V Dewalt will just about twist your hand off and when used in raising and lowering jacks the battery lasted for weeks last summer.

I've never tried their adjustable wrenches. The pliers are okay.

Are you familiar with the top ten things to not buy at HF? :)

1) Parachutes
2) Fire Extinguishers
3) Pacemakers
4) Vaccines
5) Birth control devices
6) Elevators
7) Bullet proof vests
8) Trigger locks
9) Pitons (I didn’t know what this was either…)
10) Scuba Gear

Don't know why parachutes made your list. Checked their website and they have never had one returned that was defective. :h

The only dangerous tool I've ever purchased from HF was a framing nailer. As soon as the air line was connected it would fire off 2 nails. That was a bad one!