Yamaha Rhino: Rollover Accidents, Lawsuits, and a Recall

Yamaha Rhino ATV Timeline

• June 2003 Yamaha begins selling Rhino ATVs. They are designed with a high center-of-gravity and a narrow wheelbase that make the Rhino prone to rollovers, even on flat ground. The Yamaha Rhino does not have doors, so passengers aren’t protected in a rollover accident. Soon after the Yamaha Rhino goes on the market, people begin to be injured due to the ATV's propensity to roll over. With the lack of side protection, passengers in a Yamaha Rhino rollover can have their hand, arm or leg caught under the Rhino, crushing the hand, arm or leg. These crush injuries are in many cases more severe than simple broken bones, because they can cause nerve damage and sometimes require amputations. After people began suffering serious injuries and deaths in Yamaha Rhino ATVs, they began filing lawsuits against Yamaha to recover money to compensate them for the injuries and deaths. Instead of acknowleding the problem and recalling the Rhinos, Yamaha instead continued to sell the ATVs without changing the design.

• Sept. 11, 2006 Yamaha admits it has a problem, but doesn’t recall the Rhino. Instead it sent customers new warning labels, and a letter warning its customers about rollover injuries. Here is an excerpt from Yamaha’s letter to Rhino owners in which Yamaha says: “if you are in a situation where the vehicle is tipping over, do not put your arm or leg outside the vehicle to try to stop it. You could be severely injured. You could suffer a crushed hard, arm, leg, or foot, if part of your body is caught underneath the vehicle. You must keep ysour arms and legs inside the vehicle until it has stopped moving.” (Click here to see the full text of the Yamaha Rhino warning letter.)

• July 2007 Yamaha updates the Rhino 2007 Owners Manual to include additional warnings about Yamaha Rhino rollovers and injuries. An excerpt from the Yamaha’s updated Rhino Manual states: “Abrupt maneuvers or aggressive driving, even on flat, open areas, can cause loss of control, including rollovers.”

• August 23, 2007 Yamaha issues a new warning and offers to install doors and passenger handholds on the Rhino free of charge. But Yamaha still did not offer a solution which would prevent the vehicle from rolling over. In this excerpt from Yamaha's press release, Yamaha says: “some operators have engaged in aggressive driving (such as sliding, skidding, fishtailing, or doing donuts) or made abrupt maneuvers (such as turning the steering wheel too far or too fast) that have resulted in side rollovers — even on flat, open areas. Unfortunately, some occupants have been seriously injured during such rollovers when they put their arms or legs outside the vehicle, resulting in crushing or other injuries.”

• September 2007 Yamaha issues a guide for owners of 2004-2007 Rhinos who have doors installed. In the guide (which can be viewed here on Yamaha’s website), Yamaha admitted “Doing things with a Rhino that some people do for thrills in other vehicles (such as sideways sliding, skidding, fishtailing, or donuts) have led to side rollovers. These rollovers can result in crushed limbs and other serious injuries or death to drivers or passengers.”

• March 25, 2008 Yamaha issues a recall notice for 2008 Rhinos due to the risk of brake failure.

• August 2008 Yamaha Rhino rollover accidents continue to claim the lives of innocent victims. News reports tell of an 8-year-old Texas boy who was killed while riding as a passenger on a Yamaha Rhino ATV when it rolled over, crushing him under the Rhino. A week later a 3-year-old Lancaster, Wisconsin boy was killed in a Yamaha Rhino rollover.

• Nov. 3, 2008 The Wall Street Journal reported that the Yamaha Rhino was being investigated by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission. The CPSC cited the existence of more than 200 Yamaha Rhino lawsuits and reports of 30 deaths as some of the factors leading to the investigation.

• March 31, 2009 Yamaha Rhino recall announced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. For more information about the Rhino recall, view our Frequently Asked Questions About the Yamaha Rhino Recall page.

Yamaha Rhino ATVs continue to kill and injure people in rollover accidents due to their defective design. If you or your family member suffered a serious injury or death in a Yamaha Rhino rollover accident, please use our Free ATV Accident Lawsuit Review Form to obtain a free, no-obligation review of your potential Yamaha Rhino lawsuit. You can also use this CPSC Incident Report to report your injuries directly to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.