Snowmobiles like ones from Arctic Cat are popular here in Colorado this time of year. If snowfall has been good, they’re great for traversing wild areas of the Rocky Mountains, San Juan Mountains and other rural areas of our great state.
Like many other machines though, snowmobiles can have defects or other issues that make them a bit more dangerous.
So, after Arctic Cat received four reports of steering problems with a few of its snowmobiles, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety commission issued a recall for about 19,000 of its newest models. Snowmobiles affected by this recall were sold at Arctic Cat dealerships throughout the U.S. from May to December of last year.
At least one of the report incidents led to a complete loss of steering.
Upon investigation by the CPSC and Arctic Cat, it was determined that the lower steering tie-rod attachment has a tendency to loosen, which can lead to a loss of steering control and potentially a crash. No injuries connected with this recall have been reported.
An initial recall of 7000 was issued in December but upon further review, the CPSC expanded the recall to 19,000 this past Tuesday, Jan. 31st.
The CPSC recommends owners of the below models quit using them immediately and contact the nearest Arctic Cat dealership for a free inspection and repair.
The recall affects 2012 F, XF and M models, including the following:
- F800 LXR
- F1100 LXR
- F800 Sno Pro
- F1100 Turbos
- F1100 SnoPro/Limited/50th
- XF800 LXR
- XF1100 LXR
- XF800 Sno Pro High Country
- XF1100 Turbos
- XF100 Limited/50th
- M800
- M1100
- M1100 SnoPro
- M1100 SnoPro/Limited/50th
- M800 HCR
- M1100 Turbo
If you have a 2012 year model of any of these, quit using them immediately and contact your nearest Arctic Cat dealer. The company says it is notifying owners of affected models by mail.
If you have been injured or otherwise adversely affected by a defective product like this, you may be entitled to financial compensation. To see if you do, you need to discuss your individual case with an attorney knowledgeable about injuries and defective products.
If you live in Denver or around Colorado, R. Mack Babcock and associates at the Babcock Firm can evaluate your case. To learn more about your case, contact the Colorado defective product attorneys today for a consultation.