Thousands Of Polaris ATVs Recalled Over Fire Hazard; Incidents Reported

Polaris is recalling thousands of units of certain all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) because of an issue that may pose a fire hazard. More than a dozen fire incidents have been reported.

The problem with the affected Sportsman 1000 S and Scrambler 1000 S ATVs is that electrostatic discharge on the outside of the fuel tank may "ignite fuel spills" during refueling, according to the recall announcement on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website. This may then pose a fire hazard as well as a "risk of serious injury," the company said.

There have been 16 reports of a fire related to the issue as of the recall date. These include "one report of personal injury and one report of property damage, outside the U.S."

As such, customers who have recalled units are being advised to stop using them and to contact a Polaris dealer instead to have their units repaired for free.

The recall affects certain vehicle identification numbers (VINs) of the Sportsman 1000 S and Scrambler 1000 S ATVs (Model Year 2020-2023). A vehicle's VIN can be found on the "left rear frame" of the unit, the CPSC noted. After identifying the VIN, a customer may then input it into this tool from Polaris so they can find out if their ATV is included in the recall.

"Polaris will issue repair instructions to dealers next week and will have the repair parts available by the end of January," the company said, adding that it will also be contacting customers so they can get in touch with their "Polaris-authorized" dealer. "DO NOT attempt any repairs yourself."

The recalled ATVs were sold at Polaris dealers nationwide from July 2019 until October 2022. They came in colors gray, blue, graphite, black and orange and have the name POLARIS on the front grille. Sample photos of the recalled units and a diagram of where the VIN can be located on the units are available on the CPSC website.

The recall affects 3,800 units, while some 780 were also sold in Canada, as per the CPSC. But globally, about 10,660 units are affected by the recall, according to Polaris.

Those with questions about the recall may contact Polaris at 800-765-2747.