CPSC, Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. Announce Recall of ATVs

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #06506) was formally reported on November 2, 2005. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Yamaha Motor Corporation U.S.A., of Cypress, Calif. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 70,000 units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: The protective boots covering the steering system's tie-rod ends (universal joints) on the recalled ATVs could be pinched during installation or adjustment, cutting a hole in the rubber. If this occurs, grease could esc… 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: Free repair. Registered owners of the affected units were notified directly by mail sent on October 14, 2005. Consumers should stop using their ATV immediately and contact an authorized Yamaha dealer… — 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.