Amazon hoverboard fire hazards: Amazon recalled for fire hazard

Earlier this year, 237,300 hoverboards sold via Amazon were recalled due to faulty batteries that could be a fire hazard. The affected model was Hovertrax 2.0 containing battery packs that were sold between September 2016 and August 2017.

Like all hoverboards, the Hovertrax 2.0 contains a lithium battery pack and in this instance, there was a risk of them overheating causing fires or even explosions. There were 20 accounts of this happening, but fortunately, nobody was injured.

All the batteries recalled had the letters GLW on them, printed onto a white sticker.

The Amazon hoverboard recall is worrying for hoverboard owners, but you can rest assured that if you have bought one from us, there won’t be any hoverboard battery issues.

How much are hoverboards on Amazon?

Manufactured in China, the Hovertrax 2.0 costs $460 on Amazon.com, the IO Hawk Hoverboard Amazon is $499.99 and for hoverboard UK Amazon, prices start at £163.99. However, it doesn’t pay to buy a cheaper hoverboard, because quality is paramount – as the Amazon hoverboard recall demonstrates.

Is my hoverboard battery safe?

Most hoverboards contain lithium ion batteries. This is the same type of battery you’d find in your iPhone or your laptop. They contain a highly flammable liquid, which is why safety standards are so important and why there have been instances of hoverboards exploding or catching on fire.

If you buy a hoverboard from a nameless factory, somewhere overseas, the chances are, it hasn’t met any of the rigorous safety standards that must be adhered to for hoverboards sold in the UK.

In 2015 and 2017 there were cases of exploding hoverboard batteries in the UK prompting to the Consumer Product Safety Commission to raise concerns about hoverboard battery packs that were at risk of overheating and posing a fire hazard.

When buying a hoverboard, you should make sure it has a CE marking – this indicates that it complies with EU safety standards, which require hoverboard lithium batteries to pose no fire risk.

If you have bought a hoverboard that hasn’t got this marking, then you should return it immediately.

When riding your hoverboard, try not to bump into hard surfaces like walls or boulders because the impact might damage the battery. You should avoid dropping the hoverboard for this reason too.

Is my charger safe?

The safety of your hoverboard charger is as important as the battery. If there are faults, then it could be a fire hazard. Take a good look at the label on your charger. If you spot spelling mistakes, it shouldn’t be trusted. You should also inspect the plug, because if it doesn’t have a fuse, it isn’t safe.

Like batteries, hoverboard chargers also have a safety marking – in this instance, it will be CE on the charger and BS1363 on the plug. Even if you have a safe charger, you shouldn’t leave your hoverboard to charge unattended.

For more advice on buying safe hoverboards, contact us at Official Hoverboard.