Recall Alert: 149,000 Generac Portable Generators Can Leak Fuel and Catch Fire

The generator you keep for the next outage needs a look before you fill it. Generac and the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled about 149,400 portable generators that can leak gasoline from the carburetor the first time they are fueled, a fire and burn hazard the agency links to a risk of serious injury or death. There have been 114 reported fuel leaks and no injuries so far.

The recall covers a long list of GP-series models, including the GP3600, GP6500, GP8000E, and GP9500ETF, with orange and black covers, sold at Home Depot, Lowe's, and other retailers from May 2025 through February 2026 for $600 to $1,300. Generac announced it on April 16, 2026, and a generator that has never been fueled is exactly the one this recall is about.

If you have a Generac portable generator, hold off on fueling it and check your serial number on the Generac recall page or by calling 800-396-9951. Affected units qualify for a free repair. A leak you find in the driveway now is a problem solved, while one found during a storm is a fire next to the house.

A generator is a household's loudest and most capable backup, but it earns that role only when it is safe to start. Keep your generator maintained and fueled with fresh gas, and always run it outside and well away from windows, since carbon monoxide from a generator kills more people after storms than the storms do.

Where it stands now, the repair is free and the leak is preventable, so the fix is a weekend errand rather than a gamble. Read the model and serial on your unit, and if it matches, schedule the repair before the season's first outage puts it to work.