This week, Specialized announced an expansion of a May 2021 recall affecting battery packs used with two of its electric mountain bikes.
The initial recall affected battery packs for first-generation Turbo Levo and Kenevo models manufactured between 2017 and 2019.
Now, the company has expanded the scope of the recall with additional battery part numbers and manufacturing dates. It posted the safety notice on its website.
Specialized plans to contact riders that may be affected, both via email and a notification on Turbo Mission Control, the company’s proprietary app.
For an uncertain number of the battery packs (likely less than 15 percent of all units), conductive water (salt or chlorinated, for example) can penetrate the seal around the Control Pad. In “very rare cases,” that could trigger a short-circuit, posing a fire or burn hazard, Specialized said.
It’s only likely to happen through repeated pressure-washing, the company said. As of this writing, Specialized had not specified whether it received reports of any incidents or injuries due to the recall. Understandably, the brand seems to be erring on the side of caution given that as ebikes have surged in popularity in recent years, reports of deadly fires ignited by their batteries from unspecified brands have increased.
Specialized Levo recall: does it affect your bike?
The recall includes first-generation Levo and Kenevo bikes, which have the Control Pad located on the side of the battery.
If your Control Pad is not located on the side of the battery, then the recall doesn’t include your bike. Affected bikes and parts include:
- Levo FSR bikes from 2016-2018
- Levo HT bikes from 2018-2021
- Kenevo FSR bikes from 2018-2019
- Specialized M1 batteries from 2016-2021
Specialized also offers a handy video to help customers identify if their battery is included in the recall.
What to do
Do you own one of the above bikes or batteries? If so, Specialized asks you to reach out to the closest Authorized Specialized Retailer.
They will inspect the bike and repair the battery pack for free, which involves re-gluing the Control Pad to seal it more effectively.
“If you checked your battery pack as part of the original recall and determined it was not affected, please check it again to confirm whether your battery is now included within the expanded scope,” Specialized said in the recall.
