Yamaha Issues Recall for Unintended Acceleration

Yamaha has issued a safety recall for several models in its 2023 range of heavy-duty golf carts. The machines in question, the company says, are at risk of unintended acceleration, “posing crash and injury hazards to consumers.”

The recall, issued on July 13, impacts around 370 vehicles across five separate models: the off-road-capable UMAX Rally, three variants of the company’s dirt-friendly Drive2 carts, and a version of the four-seat Concierge “stretch” cart. Affected vehicles were sold between August of 2022 and March of 2023 and manufactured in Japan. They can be identified by their serial number, which is located on the frame rail directly below the driver’s seat. Working in concert with the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, Yamaha is contacting owners directly and providing a free repair.

Golf carts aren’t the focus at UTV Driver, but many side-by-side folks have one in the barn next to a dedicated trail rig, so we figured this was worth a share. On top of that, the UMAX Rally is one of those capable in-betweens that tries to blur the line between golf cart, utility rig, and a baby SxS. It’s engineered for light towing and hauling and can tackle mild trails.

If you think your machine is part of the recall, check the CPSC’s website and the range of affected serial numbers, or call Yamaha Golf Car Company: (800) 638-2772, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Above all, be careful out there—these aren’t fast machines by any stretch, but out of control is out of control, and it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

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