The Yamaha Rhino has been under great scrutiny over the number of accidents and deaths related to the vehicle rolling over.

The Rhino was tested back in 2002 while it was still in development.  The tests took place in 100 miles of rugged trails in Kentucky.  Keisuke Yoshida, the president of a U.S. subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Co., was test driving a Rhino with Ike Miyachi, a company vice president, riding in the passenger seat.  The Rhino rolled over and gave Miyachi a foot injury.
Now years later, we see that the crash was a good indicator of what would come.

Yamaha has sold more than 150,000 Rhinos since it was introduced in 2003.  People love the narrow Rhino and its ability to crawl over and between rocks.  But with these benefits also came negatives.  The narrow body and a high center of gravity of the Rhino make it prone to rolling over while turning even at safe speeds.  The seat belts also tend to unspool during rollovers and the passengers are ejected.

Inez Tenenbaum is the chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.  She stated that the Rhino has “significant problems,” and that, “The public needs to be aware that, already, 59 people have been killed in these vehicles.”

She also added that if the Rhino is still unsafe even after they make changes, then she might seek a ban.
Yamaha announced a “free repair program” after all of the complaints.  They agreed to install spacers on the rear axles of the vehicles to make them a few inches wider, to remove their rear anti-sway bars, and install protective half-doors.  Also people who watched a safety video would receive a $100 coupon to purchase a helmet.

Yamaha maintains there is nothing wrong with the Rhino.  They say that rollovers only occur when drivers do not follow instructions or warnings.  The Rhino is “a safe, reliable and versatile vehicle,” and “virtually every Rhino-related incident involves at least one warned against behavior,” according to a statement issued by Yamaha Motor Corp. USA.

A 13-year-old boy was killed when the Yamaha Rhino he was riding in rolled over.  His parents filed the wrongful death lawsuit against Yamaha in 2007 claiming that the poor design and inadequate safety features of the Rhino directly contributed to the boy’s death.

Yamaha wanted the case to go to arbitration.  The court however ruled that the lawsuit could proceed to trial.

Yamaha Rhinos are well known for rolling over very easily due to its narrow width and high center of gravity.  Yamaha designed the Rhino to be narrow so it could fit into the bed of a pickup truck.  According to the CPSC, many Rhino rollovers “appear to involve turns at relatively low speeds and on level terrain.”

Yamaha hoped that since the plaintiffs signed an agreement, which would keep the case from going to a trial.  Court documents showed that the agreement contained an arbitration clause.  But the company did not file a motion to force arbitration until June 1.  So, the plaintiff’s argument that Yamaha had waived its right to arbitration was successful.

Safety concerns regarding the Yamaha Rhino have escalated with a lawsuit brought by a couple alleging serious injury and more against the vehicle’s makers.

Krissi and Jason Henry of Texarkana, Texas are demanding a jury trial in their case against Yamaha Motor Corporation, Yamaha Manufacturing, and Yamaha Motor Company.

The couple alleges that they were driving their Rhino on a relatively flat surface when the vehicle rolled onto the passenger side, injuring Krissi’s right leg. They are seeking compensation for health care expenses, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, physical disability and impairment, disfigurement, lost wages, loss of wage earning capacity, loss of consortium, loss of household services, and more.

This is not the first time safety has been an issue with the Yamaha Rhinos. In 2007, the automaker updated its owner’s manual to include heightened warning of rollover risks, and later sent out notices that it would install doors and handles free of charge to any Rhino owners who had purchased their car in the past four years. This is still an option for owners. See your dealership for details.

Most cases against the Yamaha Rhino claim that the vehicle has a narrow track width and a high center of gravity (making the Rhino dangerously unstable), coupled with a heavy, unpadded roll cage that could injure passengers in case of a rollover.

Yamaha holds that those who have been injured while driving Rhinos were negligent in operation and/or maintenance, and that the Yamaha Rhino has been designed, manufactured, and marketed within all guidelines.