Product Recall: Dangerous Electric Scooters – Risk of Serious Injuries and Deaths
Safety Measures and Updates Introduced
News broke recently regarding the recall of one of Future Motion’s products, electric scooters, through the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website. Multiple injuries and even deaths have been reported in recent years due to a defect in these electric scooters. As a result, the decision to withdraw them from the market has been made in the interest of Future Motion’s consumers.
In response to the company’s recall, specific measures have been outlined for consumers of the affected product. The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Future Motion Inc., based in Santa Cruz, California, have issued a market recall notice. This recall affects 300,000 self-balancing electric scooters, known as Onewheel, produced by the company. The recall has been prompted by concerns that the scooters may fail to maintain balance if the rider exceeds the limits of the board. This poses a significant risk of serious and potentially fatal accidents for consumers.
Reports of Four Deaths
Future Motion has received numerous reports of incidents related to these electric scooters, including the tragic report of four deaths between 2019 and 2021. The injuries reported include head trauma, concussions, paralysis, fractures in various parts of the body, and ligament damage. Alarmingly, at least three of the deaths occurred because the riders were not wearing helmets. In light of this, Future Motion and the CPSC urge all riders to use personal protective equipment while riding.
Guidelines for Consumers to Follow
Consumers are urged to immediately stop using the recalled Onewheel electric scooters. Those who own the Onewheel GT, Onewheel Pint X, Onewheel Pint, or Onewheel+ XR models should download or update the Onewheel app and perform a firmware update on their boards to include the Haptic Buzz alert feature. This system provides a buzzing sensation and audible sound to the rider when approaching the board’s limits or when the battery is low or in an error state.
Refunds for Consumers
The firmware update for Onewheel GT will be available in one week, while the firmware update for Pint X, Pint, and XR will be released in approximately six weeks. Consumers with the Original Onewheel or Onewheel+ models should visit the specific website to arrange for a refund. This refund will be provided in the form of store credit once product disposal has been confirmed. This market recall affects all models of Future Motion’s self-balancing electric scooters, including Onewheel.
Affected Models
The affected models include Onewheel (original), Onewheel+, Onewheel+ XR, Onewheel Pint, Onewheel Pint X, and Onewheel GT. The model name can be found on the side of the scooter, and the Onewheel logo is printed on the skateboard’s rail. These recalled Onewheel electric scooters were sold online at www.onewheel.com, as well as other websites and independent stores nationwide, from January 2014 to September 2023.
Further Recall Details
The affected scooters were available for purchase at prices ranging from $1,050 to $2,200. The products were manufactured in the United States and distributed by Future Motion Inc., headquartered in Santa Cruz, California. According to the CPSC website, the company is in direct communication with all known buyers to effectively address this safety issue.
Related Article
.jpg)
