PlainRecalls

All-Terrain Vehicles Recalled by Kawasaki

Reported: September 13, 2000 Initiated: September 13, 2000 #00180

Kawasaki issued this CPSC recall on September 13, 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 #00180) was formally reported on September 13, 2000. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Kawasaki 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, of which 1 were also issued by CPSC. 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

1 from same agency

Product Description

All-Terrain Vehicles Recalled by Kawasaki NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 13, 2000 Release # 00-180 Kawasaki Recall Hotline: (866) 802-9381 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Ken Giles, (301) 504-7052 CPSC, Kawasaki Announce Recall of All-Terrain Vehicles WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A., of Irvine, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 47,000 all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Under certain conditions, the drive belts on these ATVs can break, and pieces of the belt can lock up the transmission, including the wheels, causing the vehicle to stop suddenly. This can cause the operator to lose control of the vehicle, crash, or be ejected off the vehicle, resulting in injury or death. Kawasaki has received reports of 12 riders suffering injuries as a result of drive belts breaking and their vehicle suddenly stopping. The following 4-wheel drive Prairie ATV 1997-1999 models are included in this recall: KVF 300-A1, KVF 400-A1, KVF 400-A2/L, KVF 400- C1. "Kawasaki Prairie" is written on both sides of the ATVs, and "4X4" is printed on the rear of the seat. Kawasaki dealers nationwide sold these ATVs from September 1996 through August 2000 for between $5,300 and $6,200. Consumers with the recalled ATVs should stop using them immediately, and call their Kawasaki dealer to schedule a free belt inspection. Original equipment belts will be replaced with a new generation belt free of charge. Also, an addendum to the owner's manual and a warning label about maintaining the drive belt will be provided. Registered owners of the vehicles will be notified directly by Kawasaki about the recall. For more information, contact Kawasaki at (866) 802- 9381 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. PT Monday through Friday. The 2000-2001 model Prairie ATVs came eqiupped with the new generation belt, but are included in the recall to provide owners an addendum to the owner manual and a warning label. These include the following models: KVF 300-A2, KVF 300-A3, KVF 400-C2, KVF 400-C3.

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 00180
Date reported September 13, 2000
Date initiated September 13, 2000
Recalling firm Kawasaki
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 Kawasaki NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 13, 2000 Release # 00-180 Kawasaki Recall Hotline: (866) 802-9381 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Ken Giles, (301) 504-7052 CPSC, Kawasaki Announce Recall of All-Terrain Vehicles WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A., of Irvine, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 47,000 all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Under certain conditions, the drive belts on these ATVs can break, and pieces of the belt can lock up the transmission, including the wheels, causing the vehicle to stop suddenly. This can cause the operator to lose control of the vehicle, crash, or be ejected off the vehicle, resulting in injury or death. Kawasaki has received reports of 12 riders suffering injuries as a result of drive belts breaking and their vehicle suddenly stopping. The following 4-wheel drive Prairie ATV 1997-1999 models are included in this recall: KVF 300-A1, KVF 400-A1, KVF 400-A2/L, KVF 400- C1. "Kawasaki Prairie" is written on both sides of the ATVs, and "4X4" is printed on the rear of the seat. Kawasaki dealers nationwide sold these ATVs from September 1996 through August 2000 for between $5,300 and $6,200. Consumers with the recalled ATVs should stop using them immediately, and call their Kawasaki dealer to schedule a free belt inspection. Original equipment belts will be replaced with a new generation belt free of charge. Also, an addendum to the owner's manual and a warning label about maintaining the drive belt will be provided. Registered owners of the vehicles will be notified directly by Kawasaki about the recall. For more information, contact Kawasaki at (866) 802- 9381 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. PT Monday through Friday. The 2000-2001 model Prairie ATVs came eqiupped with the new generation belt, but are included in the recall to provide owners an addendum to the owner manual and a warning label. These include the following models: KVF 300-A2, KVF 300-A3, KVF 400-C2, KVF 400-C3.. Recalled by Kawasaki.
Why was this product recalled?
Vehicle Accident
Which agency issued this recall?
This recall was issued by the CPSC on September 13, 2000. Severity: Moderate. Recall number: 00180.
How do I check if my product is affected by a recall?
Check the product description and recall number (00180) 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.

Nearby Recalls in This Category

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).