Polaris Industries Inc., of Medina, Minnesota has issued a recall for about 800 Polaris Assault model-year 2009 Snowmobiles due to loss of control hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced.
The bolts on the rear suspension of the Polaris Assault Snowmobiles can break, causing the rail tip to become dislodged, which can interfere with the snowmobile’s track. This can cause the track to lock up and the rider to lose control of the snowmobile, posing a risk of injury.
To date, Polaris Industries has received reports of eight incidents in which the rail tip bolts broke, two of which resulted in the rider being ejected from the snowmobile. No injuries have been reported.
This recall involves 2009 Polaris 800 Assault RMK 146 snowmobiles model numbers S09PL8EE and S09PL8ES. “Assault 800” is printed on the snowmobile’s hood; “Polaris” is written on the seat. The model number is located on the right side of the tunnel below the seat. The snowmobiles are red and black.
The recalled Polaris Assault Snowmobiles, which sold for about $10,600 were manufactured in the United States and sold by Polaris dealers nationwide from September 2008 through June 2009.
The CPSC is advising consumers to immediately stop using the recalled Polaris Assault Snowmobiles and contact any Polaris snowmobile dealer to schedule a free repair. Polaris has notified registered consumers directly about this recall.
Polaris Industries can be reached toll-free at 1-888-704-5290 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday, or at the firm’s Web site at www.polarisindustries.com
This is not the first time that the CPSC and Polaris Industries have announced a recall for Polaris Industries’ snowmobiles. In 2005, approximately 8,000 Polaris Industry snowmobiles were recalled for loss of control and burn risks. In that recall, there were a number of defects involved. The nut that fastened the upper control arm ball joint to the suspension spindle could loosen. Under continued operation, the defect could allow the spindle to break and release the upper control arm, posing a risk of loss of control of the vehicle. The fuel tanks could also contact the chassis along the bulkheads, which could lead to wear on the tank walls, posing fuel leakage and possible fire hazard to consumers. The gasket sealing the fuel pump assembly to the tank could also develop cracks, which could pose a risk of fuel leakage and fire hazard to consumers. Polaris received 32 reports of spindle damage and two reports of fuel leaks in that recall.
