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 seat belt.


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 from 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 a 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 operator's 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.


Operator manuals 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 YT 359C LX 450 SA324
YM 155 YM 135 YM 195D YM 147
SC 2450 YM 165 YM 330 YM 180D
YT 347 EX 450 LX 4500 SA424
YM 186D YM 187D YM 140D YM 226
YM 240 YM 276 YM 169D YM 336D
SX 3100 T 80 LX 490 424DHX
YT 347C YM 135D YM 220 YM 147D
YM 122 YM 165D YM 330D YM 186
YM 155D LX 410 LX 4900 YT 235
EX 2900 YM 195 YM 146 YM 226D
YT 359 YM 276D YM 180 SC 2400
YM 187 LX 4100 SA221 YT 235C
YM 240D YM 140 YM 220D
EX 3200 YM 169 YM 336

Excavators

Model Machine Serial number
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