Ohalee FA-A70 Youth All-Terrain Vehicles Recalled

The California-based importer Ohalee, Inc. has recalled its model FA-A70 youth all-terrain vehicles (ATV) and called upon customers to immediately stop using them. The importer is offering a full refund.

According to a press release issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission on Thursday, the Ohalee FA-A70 has yet to cause any injuries but has various defects which cause it to be dangerous and create a risk for injury. The defects include a lack of front brakes, a solid front suspension, exposed sharp edges on the handlebars, and a owner's manual with incomplete information. Also, the flag pole bracket is an incorrect size, there is no manufacturing date printed on the tires, and the ATV lacks a tire pressure gauge.

The Ohalee FA-A70 was offered in three colors (blue, red, black) and was sold by Odes Motorcycle Industry nationwide from June through December in 2006. It was priced at approximately $360 dollars, and manufactured in China. The ATVs have the "Ohalee" brand name printed on the right and left sides, and are of 70cc size. According to the press release, customers can contact the retailer where the ATVs were purchased to receive a full refund. They can also contact Ohalee, Inc. by telephone at (866) 867-5976, which is a toll-free number (it is available Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific time).

The web site for Ohalee, Inc. did not appear to offer any additional information about the recall as of 11:00 AM (Eastern) on Thursday. Other Ohalee products listed on the web site include scooters, larger ATVs, and dirt bikes. The web site indicates that Ohalee, Inc. is located in the city of Industry, California; it also lists a fax number, an alternate telephone number, and an e-mail address which can be used to contact them.

The FA-A70's engine size (70cc) is relatively small, but not the smallest. According to wikipedia.org, all-terrain vehicle engines sizes range from 49cc to 1000cc in the United States. There have been concerns about the safety of ATVs in general; as indicated by the CPSC's annual report (PDF file) on deaths and injuries involving ATVs, 467 ATV-related deaths were reported in 2005, and an estimated 136,700 injuries which required emergency room treatment. The same report indicated that children under sixteen years of age made up 26% of the deaths and 30% of the injuries which occurred in 2005.

Sources:

1. Consumer Product Safety Commission, http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07576.html
2. Ohalee, http://www.ohalee.com/
3. Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-terrain_vehicle
4. CPSC, http://www.cpsc.gov/LIBRARY/atv2005.pdf