2001 Polaris 1633

MY SON WAS RIDING HIS 2001 90CC ARCTIC CAT ATV WHEN IT BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THIS WAS THE RESULT OF A POORLY DESIGN 2 CYCLE OIL RESERVOIR. THE PROXIMITY OF THE RESERVOIR TO THE EXHAUST PIPE ALLOWED FOR ANY EXCESS OIL OR COMMON OIL LEAKAGE TO BE EXPOSED TO THE HEAT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. ATTEMPTS BY ME TO REGULAR CLEAN THIS AREA AND PERIODICALLY POWER WASH ANY EXCESS WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO ELIMINATE THE RISK OF THIS OCCURRING. ONCE THE FIRE BEGAN, IT COMPLETELY MELTED THE RESERVOIR. THIS ALLOWED FOR FIRE THAT CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ATV. TO THE POINT THAT IS CLASSIFIED AS "TOTALED". FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL MY SON FROM THE ATV AND APPLY WATER TO THE FIRE. MY SON WAS ABLE TO AVOID PHYSICAL INJURY, BUT THE EXPERIENCE RESULTING IN AN EMOTIONAL HARDSHIP. NOT INCLUDE THE LOSS OF A ATV. *TR

SPLIT GEAR IN TRANSMISSION CAME OFF, DAMAGED OTHER COMPONENTS AND LOCKED UP THE DRIVE TRAIN. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER KNEW OF PROBLEM. SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED SPRING OF 2001. VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED TO ME NEW WITH THE PROBLEM AND I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM BY EITHER THE MANUFACTURER OR THE DEALER. THE FAILURE COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO ME OR OTHERS HAD THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT ANY OTHER TIME. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE BOTH NEGLIGENT IN DELIVERING THE VEHICLE WITH THE PROBLEM, AND FAILING TO NOTIFY THE CONSUMER OF THE SAFETY RECALL. IF NOTICE PROCESS IS NOT CHANGED, OTHERS MAY BE INJURED OR KILLED AS A RESULT OF THIS SERIOUS FAILURE TO ACT ON KNOWN INFORMATION.*AK