0458-838-8601-A
19
English 
5 IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
– Maintaining a minimum distance of 50 ft. (15 m) 
cannot eliminate the potential risk of personal injury 
and property damage from thrown objects.
– Switch off the motor immediately if you are 
approached while working with the trimmer / 
brushcutter.
■ Your trimmer / brushcutter is equipped with a deflector. To 
reduce the risk of personal injury from thrown objects and 
contact with the cutting attachment:
■ Use of wire, metal-reinforced line or other non-approved 
cutting attachments is not authorized and could be 
extremely dangerous.
– Never use wire or metal-reinforced line on this 
trimmer / brushcutter. Use only the cutting 
attachments listed in this manual, in combination 
with the listed deflector. See Combinations of 
Deflectors and Cutting Attachments, @ 23.1.
■ To reduce the risk of severe personal injuries from 
unintentional starting:
– Shut off the engine before inspecting a mowing 
head, cutting attachment or deflector. Clean dirt, 
grass, weeds and other material from the mowing 
head or blade and deflector at regular intervals.
■ A damaged or loose cutting attachment may vibrate, 
crack, break or come off during operation, which may 
result in serious or fatal injury.
– Make sure the cutting attachment is properly 
tightened before starting work.
– Check the tightness and condition of the cutting 
attachment before starting work and any time cutting 
behavior changes during use. Always shut off the 
engine and wait for the cutting attachment to stop   
before inspecting the trimmer / brushcutter or its 
cutting attachment.
– If the cutting attachment loosens after being properly 
tightened, stop work immediately and have the unit 
inspected by your authorized STIHL servicing 
dealer.
■ A cracked, damaged or worn out cutting attachment may 
shatter at high speeds and cause serious or fatal injury.
– Replace a cracked, damaged or worn out mowing 
head or a cracked, bent, warped, damaged, dull or 
worn out blade immediately, even if damage 
appears to be limited to superficial cracks.
– Never use a trimmer / brushcutter with a loose or 
damaged cutting attachment.
■ The muffler and other parts of the engine (e.g. fins of the 
cylinder, spark plug) become hot during operation and 
remain hot for a while after stopping the engine. To reduce 
the risk of burn injury:
– Allow the engine to cool before inspecting, 
transporting or storing the trimmer / brushcutter. 
Avoid contacting the muffler while it is still hot 
following operation.
– Keep the area around the muffler clean. Remove 
excess lubricant and all debris such as pine needles, 
branches or leaves.
– Allow the trimmer / brushcutter to cool on concrete, 
metal, bare ground or solid wood away from any 
combustible substances.
– Never operate the trimmer / brushcutter 
with a damaged or missing deflector.
– The cutting attachment and deflector 
must be an approved combination.
– Keep the deflector properly adjusted at 
all times.
– Never touch the cutting attachment or 
mowing head with your hand, feet or any 
other part of your body while the engine 
is running, even when the cutting 
attachment is not moving. Keep 
bystanders at least 50 ft. (15 m) away.