PlainRecalls

All-Terrain Vehicles Recalled by Polaris

Reported: August 9, 2000 Initiated: August 9, 2000 #00159

Polaris issued this CPSC recall on August 9, 2000. Classified as Moderate severity. The recall was issued because: Vehicle Accident. This recall notice is sourced from official CPSC enforcement records. Below you will find the complete product description, hazard information, remedy instructions, and related recalls from the same manufacturer or product category.

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #00159) was formally reported on August 9, 2000. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Polaris is listed as the recalling firm. The number of affected units is not disclosed in the agency filing, which is common for drug and food recalls where lot-level tracking supersedes unit counts.

The documented reason for this recall is: Vehicle Accident Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 26 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.

Recall Distribution by Severity Class

Severity1Class I (Critical)Class II (Moderate)Class III (Low)
Recall Distribution by Severity Class

Severity

Moderate

Units Affected

Unknown

Related Recalls

6

0 from same agency

Product Description

All-Terrain Vehicles Recalled by Polaris NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 9, 2000 Release # 00-159 Polaris Hotline (800) POLARIS CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Mark Ross, (301) 504-7076 Polaris Contact: Marlys Knutson, (763) 542-0500 CPSC, Polaris Industries Inc. Announce Recall of All-Terrain Vehicles WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Polaris Industries Inc., of Minneapolis, Minn., is voluntarily recalling about 13,600 All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). The throttles on these ATVs can stick, preventing the ATV from slowing down when released. This can cause the vehicle to lose control and crash, resulting in severe injury or death. Polaris has received 26 reports of problems with the throttles on these ATVs. There have been 17 reports of crashes resulting in six consumers suffering injuries. The recall includes some model year 1999 Scrambler, Sport, and Xplorer 400 ATVs, and some model year 2000 Scrambler and Xplorer 400 ATVs. "Polaris" and the model name are written on both sides of the ATVs. Polaris dealers will help consumers determine if their ATV is part of this recall. Polaris ATV dealers nationwide sold these ATVs from December 1998 through July 2000 for between $4,800 and $5,900. Consumers should stop using these ATVs immediately. Registered owners of the recalled Polaris ATVs were notified by mail about the recall, and also will be contacted by their dealer to schedule a free ATV repair. Consumers should contact their local ATV dealer to get more information about the recall. To locate their local dealer, consumers should call Polaris at (800) POLARIS between 7 a.m. and 2 a.m. ET Monday through Friday, and between 8 a.m. and 12 a.m. ET Saturday and Sunday. Or, go to www.polarisindustries.com/askPolaris/warranty/warrantyRecalls.asp?article=00ATVRECA2692&area= to access the company's web site.

Reason for Recall

Vehicle Accident

Recall Profile

Structured summary of the CPSC recall record
Attribute Value
Agency U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Severity class Moderate
Status Active
Recall number 00159
Date reported August 9, 2000
Date initiated August 9, 2000
Recalling firm Polaris
Units affected Not disclosed
Distribution Not disclosed

Profile values are sourced directly from the official CPSC enforcement record. Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Frequently Asked Questions

What product was recalled?
All-Terrain Vehicles Recalled by Polaris NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 9, 2000 Release # 00-159 Polaris Hotline (800) POLARIS CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Mark Ross, (301) 504-7076 Polaris Contact: Marlys Knutson, (763) 542-0500 CPSC, Polaris Industries Inc. Announce Recall of All-Terrain Vehicles WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Polaris Industries Inc., of Minneapolis, Minn., is voluntarily recalling about 13,600 All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). The throttles on these ATVs can stick, preventing the ATV from slowing down when released. This can cause the vehicle to lose control and crash, resulting in severe injury or death. Polaris has received 26 reports of problems with the throttles on these ATVs. There have been 17 reports of crashes resulting in six consumers suffering injuries. The recall includes some model year 1999 Scrambler, Sport, and Xplorer 400 ATVs, and some model year 2000 Scrambler and Xplorer 400 ATVs. "Polaris" and the model name are written on both sides of the ATVs. Polaris dealers will help consumers determine if their ATV is part of this recall. Polaris ATV dealers nationwide sold these ATVs from December 1998 through July 2000 for between $4,800 and $5,900. Consumers should stop using these ATVs immediately. Registered owners of the recalled Polaris ATVs were notified by mail about the recall, and also will be contacted by their dealer to schedule a free ATV repair. Consumers should contact their local ATV dealer to get more information about the recall. To locate their local dealer, consumers should call Polaris at (800) POLARIS between 7 a.m. and 2 a.m. ET Monday through Friday, and between 8 a.m. and 12 a.m. ET Saturday and Sunday. Or, go to www.polarisindustries.com/askPolaris/warranty/warrantyRecalls.asp?article=00ATVRECA2692&area= to access the company's web site.. Recalled by Polaris.
Why was this product recalled?
Vehicle Accident
Which agency issued this recall?
This recall was issued by the CPSC on August 9, 2000. Severity: Moderate. Recall number: 00159.
How do I check if my product is affected by a recall?
Check the product description and recall number (00159) against your product. Visit the official CPSC website for the most current information. You can also use our Recall Checker tool to search by product name or brand.
How do I report an injury from a recalled product?
Report injuries to the issuing agency: CPSC at SaferProducts.gov, NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem, or FDA via MedWatch. Document the product (photos, model/serial numbers, purchase receipts) and seek medical attention. Injury reports help agencies track hazard patterns and may strengthen enforcement actions.

Recall Context

Product recalls are issued when a manufacturer, distributor, or federal agency determines that a product poses a safety risk to consumers. This recall is classified as moderate severity, indicating the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health consequences. Across PlainRecalls, we track 83,000+ recalls from FDA, CPSC, and NHTSA to help consumers stay informed and act quickly when safety issues arise.

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Other recalls in the same product category — useful for spotting patterns across the same defect class or manufacturer.

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Data Sources

Data as of 2025. Source: FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS federal recall databases.

  • Source: FDA — Food and Drug Administration, openFDA Enforcement API (food, drug, and medical device recalls)
  • Source: CPSC — Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls API (consumer product recalls and hazards)
  • Source: NHTSA — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Recalls API (vehicle safety recalls)
  • Source: USDA FSIS — Food Safety and Inspection Service (meat, poultry, and egg product recalls)

Recall information is sourced from official federal agency databases. Always verify recall details with the issuing agency for the most current status. This information is for research and awareness purposes only.

All federal data sources used on this page

Source: Federal recall agencies (FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS) Aggregated multi-agency recall feeds · 2024 Recall data normalized across federal agency feeds; severity classifications follow each agency's own taxonomy (FDA Class I/II/III; CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS).