About 1,800 accessory LED light kits sold for Hustler and BigDog riding mowers are being recalled nationwide after regulators found the light bars can overheat or produce flames right on the machine, according to a recall notice from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The kits sold for $180 to $330 between April 2020 and July 2026.
Key Points
- Approximately 1,800 light kits are affected nationwide, per the CPSC recall listing
- Sold as an aftermarket accessory for Hustler and BigDog ride-on mowers
- Manufactured by Excel Industries LLC of Hesston, Kansas
- Sold through Hustler and BigDog dealerships nationwide, and online at hustlerturf.com and bigdogmower.com
- No injuries have been reported, but the defect is a live fire risk on equipment often used with a full fuel tank nearby
What Happened
- The kit consists of two LED light bars, each about 6 inches wide and ¾ inch tall, mounted on a black or yellow steel bracket
- The light bars can overheat or produce flames during normal use, according to the CPSC
- The recall was announced August 27, 2026, under recall number 26-722
- Affected units were sold over a roughly six-year window, from April 2020 through July 2026
Unlike a light kit on a car or a shed, this one sits directly on a gas-powered riding mower that’s typically parked in a garage or a barn between uses, spaces that often also hold fuel cans, oily rags or other flammable material. A light bar that can ignite on its own turns a routine accessory into a fire source sitting a few feet from the mower’s fuel tank, which is why the CPSC is treating this as a serious injury risk despite the relatively small number of units involved.
What Consumers Should Do
- Stop using the light kit immediately and avoid running the mower with the lights connected
- Contact Excel Industries at 888-848-6038 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday) or email [email protected]
- Return the kit to the point-of-sale dealer for a refund
- The light bars can be removed either at the dealership or at the consumer’s home, according to the company
Riding mower accessories don’t get the same recall attention as the mowers themselves, but they carry the same fire-safety stakes once they’re wired into the machine’s electrical system. Owners who added an aftermarket light bar to a Hustler or BigDog mower in the past several years should check it against the recalled kit before the next mowing season, especially before storing the machine near fuel or other flammable material over the winter.
