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CPSC Penalty
The $27.25 Million CPSC Penalty: Polaris's Failure to Report Fire Hazards
Since 2011, Polaris RZR off-highway vehicles have been catching fire. Not from crashes or rollovers, but during normal use on trails and sand dunes. Passengers have suffered catastrophic burns and too many deaths.
In April 2018, Polaris paid a $27.25 million fine to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. It is the largest fine in the agency's history. The penalty was not for the fires themselves. The penalty was imposed because Polaris knew about the fires and chose not to report them.
That was eight years ago, and the fires have not stopped. RZRs continue to catch fire, and victims continue to suffer catastrophic burns. The fundamental design flaw remains unchanged in models 900s, 1000s, and Turbos still in use today.
The RZR Violations:
150 Fires Before Reporting
Between 2013 and 2016, Polaris manufactured and sold approximately 133,000 RZR 900 and RZR 1000 models. These vehicles had a dangerous design flaw that caused them to catch fire while in operation: the extremely hot exhaust header was inches from fuel sources. If these lines rupture, they can easily spark a fire.
Polaris knew about it, too. They had received reports. Fire after fire. Polaris knew its RZRs were burning.
Despite this, Polaris did not immediately report the fires to the CPSC as federal law requires. The company waited. And while Polaris waited, more fires broke out, and more people were hurt.
By the time Polaris finally told federal safety regulators, the company had already received reports of 150 fires. One of these fires had killed a 15-year-old passenger. Others had caused burn injuries. One had consumed 10 acres of land.
An April 2016 recall eventually addressed over 133,000 vehicles. But the recall did not fix the design flaw. Fires in these models continue to occur to this day.
The Complaint Against Polaris
Under the Consumer Product Safety Act, manufacturers must immediately report to the CPSC when they learn that a product contains a defect that “could create a substantial product hazard" or "creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death."
Immediately means within 24 hours.
This law exists to protect people. When manufacturers report defects promptly, the CPSC can issue recalls and warn consumers before more people get hurt. Delayed reporting means families continue to buy and use products the manufacturer knows are dangerous.
The CPSC charged that Polaris violated this duty.
The Fires Did Not Stop
The CPSC penalty addressed allegations that Polaris had failed to report defects that led to recalls in 2016 and 2017. But RZR fires have continued. As of mid-2025, over 675 total burn downs have occurred on models 900, 1000, and Turbo RZRs without a crash or rollover. Additional recalls followed in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
None of these recalls fixed the fundamental design problem. The exhaust header on the models in question is still inches from fuel sources.
Why This Fine Was
Record-Breaking
Before Polaris, the largest CPSC penalty had been $15.45 million against Gree Electric Appliances in 2016. The $27.25 million fine against Polaris nearly doubled that record.
Why such a severe penalty?
•..Over 150 fires reported for RZRs alone
•..Burn injuries and one death
•..Years of delayed reporting
•..Multiple violations across different recalls
•..Over 200,000 affected vehicles
The penalty reflected the scale of harm and Polaris's alleged failures to meet its legal obligations.
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If you or a loved one has been injured in a Polaris RZR fire, contact our legal team.
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ATV Fire Lawyers
The legal muscle of Three Law Firms and Highly-Respected Lawyers, Fighting for Burned Riders Nationwide
NOTE on ATV Fire Lawyers:
The ATV Fire Lawyers is a collaboration of Wojtalewicz Law Firm Ltd., Hazelton Law Group, and SiebenCarey Personal Injury Law, independent Minnesota law firms. The ATV Fire Lawyers is not a separate law firm or partnership. Legal services are provided by the participating firms, each of which is licensed to practice law in Minnesota. For questions, contact Brian Wojtalewicz, Wojtalewicz Law Firm Ltd., 139 N Miles St, Appleton, MN 56208, (320) 289-2363.
