Gray Market Policy

Important Safety Notice

Gray Market Tractors

What is a “Gray Market Product?” A simple definition is a trademarked product originally designed and manufactured for use in a foreign market that is imported for resale in the United States without the consent of the owner of the trademark. In this instance, used Yanmar®-brand tractors originally designed and manufactured by Yanmar Diesel Engine Co., Ltd. [“Yanmar”] for intended use in Japan or other countries that are being imported into the United States and sold to U.S. consumers by third parties without Yanmar’s consent or authorization.

The Yanmar®-brand tractors designed for intended use in Japan do not meet U.S. standards and regulations in several respects. They also have other important differences from Yanmar®-brand tractors designed and manufactured for the U.S. market and distributed through authorized channels. Some of these differences can affect the safe operation of the equipment. The purpose of this notice is to warn dealers, potential purchasers and owners and operators of “gray market” Yanmar®-brand tractors of these differences. The most important safety-related differences between “gray market” Yanmar®-brand tractors and those that were designed for the U.S. market and distributed through authorized channels are as follows:

Tractors

Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS) and a seatbelt, certified to U.S. standards, which are recommended or required for tractors in the U.S. market, are not available for gray market tractors. A tractor without ROPS and a seatbelt will, under many circumstances, afford the operator less protection in a rollover accident than a tractor with certified ROPS and a fastened seatbelt.

Power Take-Off (PTO) master shields and guards, required on tractors for the U.S. market, are not normally installed on gray market tractors. These devices are intended to protect from injury inadvertent contact with the rotating PTO shaft.

Gray market tractors generally do not have an over-running clutch on the PTO whereas tractors designed for the U.S. market generally do. When a gray market tractor without such feature is used with a large rotary implement, it is possible for the tractor to continue moving even when the brakes are applied. Such implements are common in the U.S., but not in Japan.

Some gray market tractors are not equipped with a safety start switch. This feature is designed to prevent the tractor from starting in gear and potentially striking or running over an operator who misuses the tractor by starting it from the ground instead of from the operators seat as per Yanmar’s instructions.

Pulling on the throttle of a gray market tractor will cause it to accelerate whereas pulling on the throttle of a tractor designed for the U.S. market will cause it to decelerate. This difference can have potential safety consequences for an unsuspecting operator.

Gray market tractors have multiple PTO speeds for operating implements whereas tractors designed for the U.S. market generally have one PTO speed, namely, 540 revolutions per minute (rpm). If a gray market tractor is used with an implement designed for the U.S. market, the implement can be operated at revolution speeds in excess of its 540 rpm design speed, potentially leading to catastrophic failure of the implement and possible injury.

Operators manuals for gray market tractors were written in the Japanese language and are not available from Yanmar in the English language.

Warning decals for gray market tractors were written in the Japanese language and are not available from Yanmar in the English language.

Ryan M. Pott
Yanmar America Corporation
101 International Parkway
Adairsville, GA 30103
770-877-9894

Authorized for sale in the U.S. by Yanmar Co. LTD.

GT 14
YM 155
SC 2450
YT 347
YM 186D
YM 240
SX 3100
YT 347C
YM 122
YM 155D
EX 2900
YT 359
YM 187
YM 240D
EX 3200
YT 359C
YM 135
YM 165
EX 450
YM 187D
YM 276
T 80
YM 135D
YM 165D
LX 410
YM 195
YM 276D
LX 4100
YM 140
YM 169
LX 450
YM 195D
YM 330
LX 4500
YM 140D
YM 169D
LX 490
YM 220
YM 330D
LX 4900
YM 146
YM 180
221
YM 220D
YM 336
324
YM 147
YM 180D
424
YM 226
YM 336D
424DHX
YM 147D
YM 186
YT 235
YM 226D
SC 2400
YT 235C

Excavators

Model	Machine Serial number
B17-2B	30501 and after
B22-2B	60501 and after
B27-2B	65001 and after
B37-2B	60501 to 60800
B37-2B	65001 and after
B50-2B	60501 to 61145
B50-2B	60501 and after
B14	00501 and after
B15-3	BK11A26026 & after
B08-3	00501 and after
SV08-1	10501 and after
SV08-1A	14001 and after
Vio15-2	20501 and after
Vio15-2A	27501 and after
Vio17	00501 and after
Vio20-2	20501 and after
Vio20-3	30501 and after
Vio27-2	20501 and after
Vio27-3	30501 and after
Vio27-5	50501 and after
Vio27-5B	53001 and after
Vio35-2	20501 and after
Vio35-3	30501 and after
Vio35-5	50501 and after
Vio35-5B	53001 and after
Vio40-2	20501 and after
Vio40-2A	25501 and after
Vio40-3	30501 and after
Vio45-5	50501 and after
Vio45-5B	53001 and after
Vio50-2	20501 and after
Vio50-2A	25501 and after
Vio50-3	30501 and after
Vio55-5	50501 and after
Vio55-5B	53001 and after
Vio70	05001 and after
Vio75	00501 and after
Vio75-A	10501 and after
Vio75-C	15001 and after
Vio80	90501 and after
B7-3	30501 and after
B7-5A	57501 and after
SV100	00501 and after
SV100-1	10501 and after

Backhoe Loaders

Model	Machine Serial number
CBL40	00501 and after

Carriers

Model	Machine Serial number
C12R	20501 and after
C12R-A	22501 and after
C12R-B	25001 and after
C30R-US	00501 and after
C30RUS-2B	01001 & after
C50R-3	40501 and after
C50R-3A	41501 and after
C50R-3B	45501 and after

Loaders

Model	Machine Serial number
V3-3	31001 and after
V4-3	31001 and after
V3-5	00001 and after
V4-5	00001 and after
V3-5A	53001 and after
V4-5A	52001 and after
V4-5B	52501 and after
V4-5D	53001 and after