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More Than 500,000 Hoverboards Recalled Because of Fire Hazards (go.com)

501,000 self-balancing scooters -- more popularly known as hoverboards -- are being recalled due to fire hazard concerns, said The U.S. Consumer Product Safety. The lithium-ion battery packs in the hoverboards can overheat -- which could result in sparking, smoking, fire, and explosion -- the agency added. ABC reports:The recall involves hoverboards from eight manufacturers/importers that are made with lithium-ion battery packs as well as 4,300 from Overstock.com and 1,300 from a store in Pennsylvania. Amazon.com is not listed in the recall, but in February, the online giant worked with the CPSC to offer refunds to any customer who wanted to return hoverboards purchased on the site. Hoverboards by Swagway make up more than half of those recalled -- 267,000. "We are urging consumers to act quickly," CPSC Chairman Elliot Kaye told ABC News. "We've concluded pretty definitively that these are not safe products the way they were designed."

5 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. In my opinion they should be recalling them... by Narcocide · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... because they can't hover.

  2. Re:Should list those NOT recalled by known_coward_69 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    this is the way US manufacturing used to be. until ladder manufacturers were sued, ladder makers would skimp every penny from the final product and 80's news stories are full of companies whining about spending an extra nickel for some safety part.

  3. It's a start by PvtVoid · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Now if we could only recall all of the douchebags who think it's cool to ride them. Extra points for vaping at the same time.

    1. Re:It's a start by Deadstick · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What is it about hoverboards that pisses everybody off? Sure, a douchebag on one is a pain in the ass. So is a douchebag on rollerblades or a skateboard or a scooter, but I haven't seen them arouse the same kind of animosity...I don't get it.

  4. Re:Why the recall? by Deadstick · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The companies selling dangerous ones will get sued out of existence.

    No, the shell corporations that own them will blow away with the smoke and business will resume under another shell.