On October 16, 2014, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, in accordance with American Honda, announced a voluntary recall of their recreational Off-Highway vehicles due to a fire hazard. Vegetation and debris can accumulate on the middle skid plate and make contact with the vehicle’s exhaust system. Dried debris can ignite, resulting in smoke or fire. Honda has received reports of 10 incidents involving fires resulting from vegetation and debris accumulating on the middle skid plate and making contact with the vehicle’s exhaust system. No injuries were reported. These vehicles were sold at authorized Honda power sports dealers nationwide from August 2013 through September 2014.
This recall involves all models of the 2014 Honda Pioneer 700 recreational off-highway vehicle (ROV). ROVs are motorized off-road vehicles with a steering wheel, gas and brake pedals, bucket or bench seats, seat belts and an occupant protection structure. The recalled vehicles came in two-seat and four-seat models and were black with camouflage, olive or red hood and trim pieces. “HONDA” is on the front grill and rear tail gate. “Pioneer 700” appears on a tab on the sides of the vehicle just behind the driver’s and front passenger’s seats. The model and serial numbers are on a certification label affixed to the top rear of the driver’s side front wheel well. The following model numbers and serial number ranges are being recalled:
| Model Number | ||
| SXS 700M2 2AC | VE0225E4000006 to VE022XE4006304 | 2 |
| SXS 700M2 4AC | VE0284E4000003 to VE0284E4001202 | 2 |
| SXS 700M4 AC | VE0204E4000013 to VE020XE4006849 | 4 |
| SXS 700M4 3AC | VE0268E4000004 to VE0269E4001503 | 4 |
Owners should immediately stop using the recalled vehicle and take it to an authorized Honda dealer to have the original middle skid plate removed and an updated middle skid plate installed free of charge. American Honda toll-free at (888) 888-3139 from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.powersports.honda.com and click on Product Recall Information at the bottom of the page for more information.
As a consumer, safety advocate, and trial lawyer, I am continually troubled by the fact that manufacturers and retailers continue to sell dangerous products. Manufacturers, in their zeal to get products on the market, often cut corners and overlook safety when designing and manufacturing products. Manufacturers have an obligation and opportunity to thoroughly assess product safety before the launch of a product. It should not take a person to get injured for a manufacturer to make a product safe.
The Quinn Law Group, LLC, is a preeminent personal injury law firm with offices conveniently located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Cherry Hill, New Jersey. If you or a loved one has been injured by a dangerous product or through the fault of another, please contact Sean E. Quinn for a free, no-obligation consultation. We are Your Voice. Your Advocate.