U.S. CPSC Oversees Recall of Hoverboards Citing Risks Associated with Lithium-ion Battery Packs

Not surprisingly, following on the heels of various accounts and reports of fires caused by hoverboards, ten manufacturers, distributors and retailers have issued an official recall of 501,000 hoverboards in the United States coordinated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The recall impacts nearly all of the major brands of hoverboards currently sold on the market, and some online retailers are recalling the hoverboards sold on their websites, which amount to approximately 5,000 units.

The hazard described by the CPSC specifically cites risks associated with lithium-ion battery packs used in the hoverboards that may “overheat, posing a risk of the products smoking, catching fire and/or exploding.” The CPSC has advised consumers to stop using these recalled products and to contact the recalling company to return their hoverboard for a full refund, a free repair or a free replacement, depending on the model.

The CPSC recommends that consumers only purchase hoverboards that comply with UL 2272 standard by an independent testing agency such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), CSA or Intertek. While the CPSC advises that consumers should seek a refund for many of the listed hoverboards in the recall, the agency advised seeking replacements from some brands that have acquired safety certification.

The recall comes just as the fears around hoverboards were beginning to wane and some hoverboard makers had begun to sell UL-certified devices to the public. However, this massive recall will likely bring back memories of the horror stories associated with many hoverboard brands. According to the CPSC, roughly 99 hoverboard battery-related incidents have resulted in reports of injury and more than $2 million in property damage across 20 states.

And while this recall may be good news for those still concerned about the safety of hoverboards, the CPSC has made it clear that the investigation remains ongoing, which means that there may be more recalls in the future.

As always, we welcome the comments and questions of our readers.

This blog post was published originally on August 29, 2016.