Harbor Freight Jack Stands Investigation

In 2020, Harbor Freight Tools recalled more than 1.7 million Pittsburgh Automotive 3-ton and 6-ton heavy-duty steel jack stands sold nationwide after reports that the stands could collapse under load. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued consumer advisories urging owners to stop using the affected products immediately. Contact our product defect lawyers if you have been injured by a jack stand or another Harbor Freight tool.

Recall Details

Two primary equipment recalls were filed:

• NHTSA Recall 20E016 (reported March 20, 2020): Covered approximately 454,000 Pittsburgh Automotive 6-ton heavy-duty steel jack stands, item number 61197. Production dates ran from June 13, 2013, to November 22, 2019.
• NHTSA Recall 20E027 (reported May 2020): Covered approximately 1,254,000 Pittsburgh Automotive 3-ton heavy-duty steel jack stands, item numbers 56371 and 61196. Production dates spanned December 1, 2012, to March 31, 2020.

The manufacturer, Jiaxing Golden Roc Tools Co., Ltd. (China), identified the root cause as aging production tooling. This led to inconsistent engagement of the ratchet teeth on the lifting extension post with the pawl.

On some 3-ton units, there was also inconsistent location indexing of the pawl armature hole. Under load, a shift in weight could allow the pawl to disengage, causing the stand to drop suddenly and risking injury to anyone near or under a lifted vehicle.

NHTSA and Harbor Freight advised owners to discontinue use at once. The remedy was a gift card (or later full refund options) equal to the original shelf price upon return of the stands to a Harbor Freight store or by mail.

A follow-up recall later in 2020 addressed roughly 118,000 replacement 3-ton stands that had a welding defect creating the same sudden-drop risk. Harbor Freight expanded return options for various Pittsburgh jack stands around that time.

At the time of the initial recalls, Harbor Freight reported 11 injury claims to NHTSA (six involving 6-ton stands and five involving 3-ton stands). Company statements described none as life-threatening.

Harbor Freight Jack Stands Lawsuits

Litigation has included class actions focused on economic losses and individual personal-injury product liability suits. No multidistrict litigation (MDL) has been formed, and no class has been certified as of the latest available updates.

In June 2020, shortly after the recalls, Georgia resident Markeith Mitchell filed a nationwide class action in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia (Mitchell v. Harbor Freight Tools USA, Inc., Case No. 5:20-cv-236).

The suit sought damages for purchasers of the recalled stands (items 56371, 61196, 61197) for household use, alleging the products were inherently dangerous and essentially worthless due to the manufacturing defects.

The class definition excluded personal injury and property damage claims, directing those to individual suits. A related class action was also filed in the Central District of California.

Individual injury lawsuits:

• Justin Brandenburg (Michigan, filed July 21, 2023): Brandenburg alleged that on or about March 31, 2021, while working under the front of his 2006 Dodge Ram 1500, a Harbor Freight 3-ton jack stand (subject to welding issues in some accounts) toppled without warning. The truck’s front end collapsed onto his chest, causing blunt trauma to the abdomen and chest, multiple rib fractures, flail chest, renal contusion/hematoma, elevated liver enzymes, and traumatic pneumothorax (collapsed lung). The case was filed in the Western District of Michigan and later resolved by stipulation of dismissal in 2024.
• Robert Feezor (Oklahoma, filed April 13, 2026): In Feezor v. Harbor Freight Tools USA Inc. et al. (Case No. 5:26-cv-00785, Western District of Oklahoma, Judge Bernard M. Jones II), Feezor alleged that on or about July 15, 2025, a Pittsburgh Automotive jack stand suddenly collapsed without external force while supporting a vehicle. The vehicle pinned him underneath, resulting in serious bodily injuries and permanent disability. Defendants include Harbor Freight Tools USA, Inc. (and d/b/a Pittsburgh Automotive) and manufacturer Jiaxing Golden Roc Tools Co., Ltd. Allegations include design and manufacturing defects (inadequate latch engagement), failure to provide adequate recall notice, and related product liability claims. Harbor Freight filed an answer; the manufacturer was later served. The case remains active as of available docket information.

Harbor Freight has faced additional product liability suits involving other tools like transmission jacks, but those were not related to the jack stand recalls. Owners of recalled stands should still verify their item numbers and discontinue use if affected.

If a Harbor Freight jack stand failed under you or someone in your family, or if you still own one of the recalled models and suffered injuries from a collapse, the Lyon Firm handles defective product cases and product recall lawsuits.

The firm has spent nearly two decades holding manufacturers and retailers accountable when defective products injure people. Contact us at (513) 381-2333 for a free consultation to discuss what options may be available.