Steering Wheel Separation Causes Polaris To Recall RZR, General Models
Loss of steering is up there with loss of brakes in terms of primal driving fears.
Polaris is advising owners of certain General and RZR side-by-side vehicles to stop driving them immediately as it pursues a recall over steering wheel issues.
The recall concerns certain RZR XP 1000, RZR XP Turbo, and RZR Turbo S Velocity models built from 2020 to 2022. General 1000 and General XP 1000 models built from 2020 to 2022 are also subject to the recall. The total number of vehicles is estimated to be 38,900 worldwide.
Affected vehicles have steering wheels that can separate entirely from the steering column, leading to a loss of control. This poses a crash hazard and could lead to serious injury. Polaris has advised owners to stop using the vehicles immediately and to contact a dealership for repairs.
The "Stop Sale, Stop Ride" order was first given on October 27, 2021, with a voluntary recall announced on December 23 last year. However, on July 19, Polaris identified a broader list of affected vehicles and notified the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The company has thus far received 48 reports of "broken or cracked steering wheel spokes." Incidents reported to Polaris include a total of nine rollovers and five injuries related to the issue.
It eerily mirrors an NHTSA recall just released for the Can-Am Ryker. 2022 models of the road-going three-wheeled motorcycle have faced issues with a loss of steering control. The handlebar stem bolt can break due to insufficient thread length. The total affected population is 9,353, with owners advised to stop riding their vehicle immediately until it can be repaired.
It doesn't matter whether you're tearing around off-road on your side-by-side, or trying to merge in traffic on a three-wheeler. Either way, a total loss of steering control poses serious danger. If you own one of the affected models, keep it parked and reach out to your dealership for a fix.
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