Recalled Winch Kits May Present Fire Hazard

Recalled Winch Kits May Present Fire Hazard

Washington, D.C. – Responding to reports that winch kits installed on All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) have been involved in ATV fires in the United States and Canada [nine fires at the time of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) press release] Warn Industries Inc., of Oregon, in conjunction with the CPSC, is voluntarily recalling 50,000 winch kits. The kits attach to ATVs and are used as vehicle recovery tools. The solenoid poses a fire risk when used in this capacity, even when the vehicle is parked and the winch is not in use, according to the CPSC. The solenoid was manufactured by White-Rodgers.

The solenoid is attached to the power wire between the battery and the switch. The bracket used to attach the solenoid has one open slot and one hole.

This recall does not include the Warn ATV winch kits with Camdec solenoids, used prior to the White-Rodgers solenoid.

The winch is gray and has a “Warn” logo on its body, below the model number, “A2000.” The kit was sold nationwide by ATV dealers, specialty retailers, and mail order catalogs from November 2000 through May 2001 for about $400.

Consumers should immediately disconnect the solenoid wires from their ATV and call their local ATV dealer or Warn Industries to receive the free replacement solenoid and installation instructions. Additional information may be obtained by calling Warn Industries at (877) 277-0539 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, by e-mailing the firm at piline@warn.com; or by visiting its Web site at www.warn.com.