CPSC, Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A. Announce Recall of ATVs

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #05237) was formally reported on August 2, 2005. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A., of Irvine, Calif. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 155,000 units are affected, a scale large enough to require multi-state distribution tracking.

The documented reason for this recall is: A significant impact to the front wheel of the ATV while the steering is fully turned to either side can result in suspension damage, wear, and an eventual loss of steering control, that could result in injury or death. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Consumers should stop using the recalled ATVs immediately and contact an authorized Kawasaki ATV dealer to arrange for a free repair. Registered owners of the vehicles will be notified directly by Ka… — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

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 21 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.