Textron Specialized Vehicles Expands Recall Of Recreational Vehicles

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently announced that Textron Specialized Vehicles has expanded its recall of the Arctic Cat Prowler Pro and the Pro Crew and Tracker Off Road 800SX recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs). According to the recall, the vehicle can move when on an incline and in park when “park” is displayed on the digital dash. This can cause the vehicle to roll away, posing a potential crash hazard.

The recall involves all model years 2022, 2023, and 2024 of the Arctic Cat Prowler Pro and Pro Crew. It also involves all model years 2022, 2023, and 2024 of the Tracker Off Road 800SX and 800SX Crew Side by Side Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles.

The CPSC is advising consumers to immediately stop using the recalled vehicles and contact Textron Specialized Vehicles to schedule a free repair. The repair kit will include a new shift cable bracket, shift sensor, and a decal to be placed at the dash display. The new shift sensor will allow the dash to display an “E” for shift error if “park” on the vehicle is not fully engaged. Customers will be notified directly to bring their vehicle to an authorized dealership to have the kit added at no cost. Textron is contacting all known purchasers directly.

According to the recall, there have been 12 reports of the vehicle moving while in park. No injuries have been reported.

Recreational off-highway vehicle lawsuits 

Several lawsuits have been filed against various companies over ROVs, snowmobiles, and ATVs over the years. For example, Polaris had to issue several different recalls for its all-terrain vehicles, recreational off-road vehicles and snowmobiles over the past few years. Some of these accidents caused injuries before the recall was issued. In 2018, Polaris paid the CPSC a penalty of more than $27 million because they failed to report defects in the company’s ROVs.

Those who suffered injuries in an accident with an ROV are often entitled to recover damages from the company that manufactured the vehicle. These accidents can include rollovers, unexpected acceleration, brake failures, loss of steering, unexpected braking, fires, and more.

To bring a personal injury claim against an ROV manufacturer, you need to prove a few elements. These include:

• The accident occurred as a result of a malfunction of the vehicle
• The malfunction could have been prevented by the manufacturer
• You suffered financial losses as a result of your injuries

Polaris had a history of waiting to issue recalls and ignoring reports of injuries. This resulted in the substantial fine levied by the CPSC in 2018. The CPSC was able to prove that the manufacturer knew about these injuries and stalled the process of issuing a recall. This resulted in several avoidable injuries to customers.

Talk to a Florida Product Liability Lawyer Today 

The Florida personal injury lawyers at Halpern, Santos, & Pinkert represent the interests of Florida consumers who have been injured by a dangerous or defective product. Call our law firm today to schedule a consultation, and we can begin investigating your claims right away.