Polaris' Ranger side-by-side platform is one of the most well-known, most beloved side-by-sides in the industry. It's why while most other platforms are shrinking in their lineup sizes, the Ranger is actually growing, as many folks utilize them to the fullest extent of their capabilities.
I, myself, just had a Ranger XD 1500 Northstar in my possession to take mule deer hunting here in Utah. And while I didn't get one during the time I had the Ranger in my care—it happened like a week or so after I returned it to Polaris—I found it to be a helluva machine to tool around and abuse in the woods.
But not everything is sunshine and daisies for Polaris' Ranger, as the company is recalling a good amount of the UTVs right now, after a potential for a fire hazard was discovered. And customers are being told that they should park their vehicles outside until they can get them to an authorized dealer for inspection and repair.
"Polaris has determined that on some Model Year 2025-2026 Ranger XP 1000 NorthStar vehicles, the alternator cable or chassis harness breakout may be improperly routed to the positive battery post," states the company's recall notice, adding, "This misrouting could cause the cable to come into contact with the negative battery post and result in damage to the cable’s insulation. A damaged alternator cable or chassis harness breakout may result in an electrical short, posing a fire hazard and risk of serious injury."
The recall affects some 5,600 Ranger units, and Polaris states that it has "identified 5 reports of sparking/smoke/melt and 1 report of fire. Polaris has not identified any reports of personal injury or property damage associated with this concern." The latter of which is good, as no one wants any reported injuries.
Like I said earlier, Polaris is stating that customers affected by the recall, which you can look up whether yours is part of the group here, should park their vehicles outside their homes to mitigate any potential fire risk to structures. Furthermore, customers are being asked to "Fold up the passenger seat (Crew models: rear passenger seat) and leave it in the up position. No passengers may use this seat. Remove the underseat storage bin," and then "contact an authorized Polaris dealer to schedule the recall repair."
The company states that customers can also contact it at "1-800-765-2747 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, online at www.polaris.com and click on “Product Safety News” located under the “Safety” column at the bottom of the page, or https://www.polaris.com/en-us/recalls/off-road/polaris-recalls-some-model-year-2025-2026-ranger-xp-1000-and-crew-xp-1000-vehicles/ or https://www.polaris.com/en-us/recalls/."
