Get Off The ATV! Importer Refuses To Help Recall Dangerous Children's ATVs

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers who own a Kazuma Meerkat 50 Youth All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) that children are at risk of injury or death due to multiple safety defects with this off-road vehicle.

The agency said that the ATVs, imported by Kazuma Pacific, it determined that the Meerkat 50 lacks front brakes, has no parking brake, is missing a neutral indicator light, and can be started in gear. Additionally, the owner’s manual does not contain complete information on safe operation and maintenance of the ATV.

CPSC staff recommends that consumers stop using the product immediately because it is unsafe. The staff recommends that consumers demand a refund of the purchase price from the importer or dealer due to the defective condition of the ATV.

The risk with these ATVs is severe because these vehicles are intended for children age 6 to 11. In many cases, youth riders are just learning how to operate an ATV and may not have the experience necessary to help them avoid hazards associated with this product’s defects.

For some unknown reason, Kazuma Pacific has refused to provide complete incident or injury information for any of their products. In years of reporting on recalls and other safety issues, we can't remember such a blatant refusal for such a serious issue. The government is unable to determine how many children have been injured. The agency also state that between December 2006 and May 2007, Kazuma Pacific has impeded CPSC’s efforts to protect the safety of children, by refusing to implement a corrective action plan for this ATV.

Kazuma Pacific has sold at least 2,700 Meerkat 50 ATVs and has stated that they are continuing to sell the units that CPSC staff found to be defective. Kazuma dealers and Web retailers nationwide have sold this ATV since 2003 for between $525 and $825.

CPSC staff is requesting that consumers immediately report any incidents involving the Kazuma Meerkat 50 to the CPSC Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or to the CPSC Web site at www.cpsc.gov

Labels: ATV, CPSC, Kazuma

posted by Consumer Help Web Editorial Team at 11:31 AM |