After a months-long investigation into the well-publicized risks of self-balancing scooters, nicknamed hoverboards, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a product recall for more than 500,000 hoverboards, according to Consumer Reports.
The recall comes just as the fears around hoverboards were beginning to wane, writes Adario Strange for Mashable. This massive recall will likely bring back memories of the horror stories associated with many hoverboard brands.
The reason for the recall is the battery pack can overheat, resulting in smoke, fire or an explosion. At least 99 such incidents have been reported, with some causing injury and property damage, the CPSC stated.
The property damage from more than 60 hoverboard-related fires examined by the CPSC exceeded $2 million, according to Consumer Reports.
Let me be clear about this all of the hoverboard models included in this recall were made with fundamental design flaws that put people at real risk, wrote CPSC chairman Elliot Kaye in an online statement.
The models recalled were made from June 2015 to May 2016, noted the CPSC. It affects some of the biggest brands for hoverboards, Mashable noted, such as:
Hoverboard owners who want to find out if their model is part of the recall can call the CPSC consumer hotline at (800) 638-2772 or check at CPSC.gov.
Consumers have the options of a full refund, a free repair or a free replacement depending on the model, according to Mashable.
There is "no federal safety standard specific to hoverboards," according to the New York Times, although some models are certified as safe by Underwriters Laboratories, a standards-setting and testing organization.
For brands with the UL certification, owners might consider a free replacement instead of a full refund, Mashable noted.
According to Mashable, the government's investigation is ongoing and may result in more recalls.
The recall comes just as the fears around hoverboards were beginning to wane, writes Adario Strange for Mashable. This massive recall will likely bring back memories of the horror stories associated with many hoverboard brands.
The reason for the recall is the battery pack can overheat, resulting in smoke, fire or an explosion. At least 99 such incidents have been reported, with some causing injury and property damage, the CPSC stated.
The property damage from more than 60 hoverboard-related fires examined by the CPSC exceeded $2 million, according to Consumer Reports.
Let me be clear about this all of the hoverboard models included in this recall were made with fundamental design flaws that put people at real risk, wrote CPSC chairman Elliot Kaye in an online statement.
The models recalled were made from June 2015 to May 2016, noted the CPSC. It affects some of the biggest brands for hoverboards, Mashable noted, such as:
- The Swagway X1 model, with the largest recall amount of 267,000 units.
- The Hovertrax from Razor
- The Airwalk Self Balancing Electric Scooter from PTX Performance
- The iMoto from Keenford
- The Hype Roam from Hype Wireless
- The Wheeli, 2Wheelz, Back to the Future, Mobile Tech, Hover Shark, NWS, X Glider and X Rider from Yuka Clothing
- The Powerboard from Hoverboard LLC
- The Hover-Way, model number of HWSBB601-R, from Digital Gadgets
Hoverboard owners who want to find out if their model is part of the recall can call the CPSC consumer hotline at (800) 638-2772 or check at CPSC.gov.
Consumers have the options of a full refund, a free repair or a free replacement depending on the model, according to Mashable.
There is "no federal safety standard specific to hoverboards," according to the New York Times, although some models are certified as safe by Underwriters Laboratories, a standards-setting and testing organization.
For brands with the UL certification, owners might consider a free replacement instead of a full refund, Mashable noted.
According to Mashable, the government's investigation is ongoing and may result in more recalls.
