Hoverboard Recall: More Than Half A Million Considered ‘Unsafe’ In Official Report
A hoverboard recall is in effect as over half a million of the popular leisure devices have been considered unsafe due to overheating and exploding lithium batteries. Technically, as many have pointed out, they are not capable of hovering, as they still have wheels touching the ground. The transportation devices seen in Back to the Future Part II are still technically far from being real.
The film mentioned above may have been the reason for the devices to be called hoverboards, as the date that Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) arrived on is now almost a year ago. We seemed to be in a hurry to close the gap with self-lacing shoes, flying cars, and other technology that wowed moviegoers in the 80s. We are still closing in on actual flying cars, though the technology is far from reaching a mainstream market.
This hoverboard recall may be just another instance of major corporations doing something because they can and not because they should.
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The problem leading to the hoverboard recall was revealed to be the battery, which requires better ventilation and a more insulated contact base. Users have even been known to post YouTube videos showing the devices literally catching fire as they use them, and one even started a house fire and almost resulted in the death of pets. Many reports point to the lithium battery packs literally exploding and causing property and personal damage.
Other issues in the past included motors that proved to be unresponsive to leaning controls, technically making these devices even more dangerous to use than a professional skateboard. Of course, skateboards are dangerous due to the fact that the bearings are made to reduce friction and maintain speed, and all of the control when you ride them normally is in your feet and ankles. Professionals have been known to incur injuries ranging from scraped knees to concussions. Some have even died.
No deaths have been reported as a result of a hoverboard, but the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission isn’t taking any chances.
WATCH #WJZ at 4:30 Massive #hoverboard recall What to do if you have one #firedanger pic.twitter.com/ZuuNZrrgiM
— Denise Koch WJZ (@DeniseWJZ) July 6, 2016
The issue is widespread, with eight manufacturers and two retailers being involved in the recall. The problem was bad enough early on that Amazon stopped selling them altogether and offered refunds, no questions asked. Manufacturers have been attempting to make them safer, but the problem only became worse. Swagway appears to be the main manufacturer involved in the hoverboard recall, with a customer suing them in December 2015 because his device burst into flames. Approximately 267,000 more of its X1 models are considered unsafe, according to the recall.
Hoverboard Hazard: Reports of battery pack explosions prompt recall of more than half a million boards: https://t.co/3Qq26znMCW
— WTVG 13abc (@13abc) July 6, 2016
Overstock is also recalling every one of the devices they sold, and the source of the problem appears to be the ones made in China. Ever since they hit the market, there have been copycat manufacturers fueling the sales between June 2015 and this past May.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has decided that the recalled hoverboards are officially and universally not safe at all, and anyone who has bought one should immediately seek a refund.
Some manufacturers have claimed to fix the problems and create safer hoverboards, and Amazon and Best Buy have begun selling them with no reported issues. Whether they are actually safer remains to be seen. It’s probably best to steer clear of them until they are proven safe under recommended use.
[Image via dantess/Shutterstock.com]
