Recall of the Week: Baja Motorsports mini bikes and go-carts due to fire and burn hazard

Baja Motorsports is recalling about 308,000 mini bikes and go-carts.

The gas cap can leak or detach from the fuel tank on the recalled mini bikes and go-carts, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers. Also, the throttle can stick due to an improperly positioned fuel line and throttle cable, posing a sudden acceleration hazard to consumers.

The firm has received nine reports of the gas caps leaking and detaching, including one report of a serious burn injury to a child. The firm has also received 25 reports of stuck throttles – possibly due to the fuel line and throttle cable being improperly attached – with injuries to the face and other parts of the body reported.

The recall involves Baja Motorsports mini bikes with model numbers beginning with HT65, MB165, WR65, MB196, DB30, WR90, and DR90 and go-carts with model numbers BB65, SD65, DN65, and TR65. The model number is located on the mini bikes’ fenders and/or decorative fuel tank and on the go-carts’ roll cage. They both have black plastic gas caps.

Manufactured in China, the various mini bike and go-cart were sold at mini bike and go-cart retailers nationwide from November 2004 through June 2010 for between $200 and $2,000. They also were available from the following web sites: Costco.com, Amazon.com, toysrus.com, northerntool.com, sears.com, and kmart.com.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled mini bikes and go-carts and contact Baja Motorsports for a free replacement gas cap and to schedule a free repair of the fuel line and throttle cable, the firm advises.

For additional information, contact Baja Motorsports toll-free at 888-863-2252 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.bajamotorsports.net.

For details on other recalls, see www.recalls.gov.

Copyright 2010, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist