How to Check if Your Chainsaw or Log Splitter Is Recalled

To check if your chainsaw or log splitter is recalled, find the brand, model and serial number on the machine, then search the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recall list at cpsc.gov/Recalls and compare your numbers with the notice. It takes about five minutes and is worth doing before every cutting season and whenever you buy a used saw or splitter.

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How to check if your chainsaw or log splitter is recalled in 5 steps

1. Write down the numbers. Brand, model number, serial number and, for a splitter, the engine model.
2. Search CPSC. Go to cpsc.gov/Recalls and search the brand name plus “chainsaw” or “log splitter”.
3. Open the notice. Read the hazard, the dates sold, the model numbers and serial ranges affected.
4. Match exactly. A recall often covers only some serial numbers or one letter in a serial number.
5. Contact the maker using the details in the notice, and stop using the machine until it is repaired.

Where to find the model and serial numbers

On a chainsaw the data plate is usually on the rear handle, under the engine cover or on the battery housing of a cordless saw. On a log splitter look at the frame or beam for a decal, and find the engine plate on the engine itself. Take a photo of each plate and save it in one note on your phone, together with the date and place you bought the machine. When a recall is announced, the photo lets you check in a minute.

Searching CPSC for a recall

The CPSC recall page lets you filter by product type and search by brand or keyword. Try the brand with “chainsaw” or “log splitter”, then the engine maker if a splitter has a separate engine brand. If a search turns up nothing, try the model number alone, and check the manufacturer’s own recall page, because a company recall may not appear under the product name you expect.

What recall notices cover

Recent examples show how different recalls can be. The CPSC recall of Milwaukee M18 FUEL top handle chainsaws depends on the letter in the serial number; our Milwaukee recall guide explains it. The Oregon Tool log splitter recall in 2024 is about the hydraulic cylinder, and the Briggs & Stratton recall in 2021 is about the engine ignition parts; see our log splitter recalls guide.

What to do if your machine is recalled

• Stop using it, and keep it out of reach of children and bystanders.
• Do not try to repair the part yourself unless the notice says how.
• Contact the maker using the phone number or email in the notice.
• Ask what the remedy is, whether shipping is covered and how long it takes.
• Keep your receipt, photos and any case number.

Remedies vary: a free repair, a replacement part, a refund or a replacement machine. Read the notice to see which one applies. Never use a machine that has an open recall in the meantime.

If you cannot find the model number

Plates wear off, especially on older saws and splitters that live in a shed. If the decal is gone, look for the number molded into the housing, in the owner’s manual, on the original receipt, or in your order history if you bought online. Failing that, contact the maker with the brand, a photo of the machine and the place and year you bought it; the support team can often identify it from the parts. If a machine cannot be identified at all, treat it with caution and ask a dealer to look at it before you use it.

Report a problem with a saw or splitter

If a saw or splitter fails or injures someone, you can report it to CPSC at SaferProducts.gov. Reports help CPSC spot patterns that lead to recalls. For urgent questions you can also call the CPSC hotline at 800-638-2772.

How often to check

Check once at purchase, once at the start of each cutting season, and any time you hear a brand named in the news. Put a reminder in your phone alongside the date you change your chain or service your splitter, so the habit sticks and a recall never sits unnoticed for a year.

Stay informed

CPSC offers email subscriptions for recall notices, and many makers let you register a product to be contacted directly. Register new equipment as soon as you unbox it. If you buy used, ask the seller for the model and serial number and check it before you pay. The same steps work for a wood stove: check the maker and model on cpsc.gov, and see our wood stoves hub for how we pick.

Safety while you check

• Remove the battery, or let a gas engine cool and drain the fuel before moving a saw.
• For a chainsaw, keep the chain brake engaged and the bar covered.
• For a splitter, keep hands clear of the wedge and ram.
• Do not run a machine just to check if it works if it matches a recall.

This site does not give tree-felling instructions. For felling, hire a qualified arborist or take an in-person chainsaw course.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find out if my chainsaw is recalled?

Find the brand, model and serial number, then search cpsc.gov/Recalls and the maker’s website. Compare the numbers exactly with the notice.

Where do I find the serial number on a log splitter?

Look for a decal on the frame or beam. The engine usually has a separate plate with its own model number.

Is a recall the same as a safety warning?

No. A recall means the maker or CPSC has announced a remedy for a defect. Safety warnings may not come with a remedy.

Can I still use a recalled saw or splitter?

Not while the recall is open. Follow the notice, stop using it and contact the maker.

Do recalls apply to used equipment?

Yes, when the model and serial number are covered. The remedy is usually still available to the current owner, so ask the maker.

Related guides

Browse the chainsaws hub and the log splitters hub, or see our best chainsaws for firewood.

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