Consumer Reports recently announced that Yamaha has issued a recall of more than 2,300 VMX17 (V-MAX) motorcycles due to a possibly serious engine issue. The recall addresses the possible failure of the motorcycle’s oil pump due to abnormally high oil pressures.
If the pump were to malfunction and stop pumping oil to the engine, “severe engine damage can occur, causing the engine to stall and not restart again, increasing the risk of a crash,” Consumer Reports explained. In 2008 alone, there were 5,312 deaths attributed to motorcycle accidents.
The recall covers model years 2009 through 2011 Yamaha motorcycles, including the YB, ZR, AG, ACG, ZCR, and YCB models. Beginning in October, owners of these motorcycles began taking their motorcycles to a Yamaha dealer to get the oil pump replaced free of charge.
The Yamaha recall has not been the only motorcycle recall to affect consumers lately. In October, the Associated Press reported that Harley-Davidson Inc. recalled more than 308,000 motorcycles to “fix a switch problem that can cause failure of the brake lights and possibly even the rear brakes themselves.”
According to documents Harley Davidson filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the exhaust system on the affected motorcycles can expose these brake light switches to too much heat. This excess heat exposure can lead to a brake light failure, as well as fluid leaks and even the total loss of the rear brakes, the AP reported.
The article goes on to explain that these issues affect “Touring, CVO Touring and Trike motorcycles from the 2009 through 2012 model years.” These motorcycles were manufactured from June 2008 to September 2011. The manufacturer explained that it learned of the issue in June 2010 when it received a report of a “Trike model motorcycle that lost its rear brakes due to the problem,” the AP reports.
After a second crash in July 2010, the company said it has received no additional reports of this problem. The AP reports that this recall “affects about 251,000 motorcycles in the U.S. alone, with the balance in other countries.”
If you or a loved one have been injured due to engine or breaking issues in one of the affected Yamaha or Harley Davidson models, contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with motorcycle recalls. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.
References:
AP Staff Writer. (October 24, 2011) “Harley to recall more than 308,000 motorcycles.” Retrieved on November 9, 2011 from Google News.
Shader, Maggie. (September 30, 2011) “Recall: Yamaha VMX17 motorcycles-possible engine stall.” Retrieved on November 9, 2011 from Consumer Reports.