Yamaha issues Voluntary Recall Repair Program due to Rhino Rollover Deaths

WASHINGTON, March 31 (Reuters) - Yamaha Motor Co Ltd (7272.T) halted sales of three models of its Rhino off-road recreational vehicles until those already sold are repaired to reduce the risk of deadly rollovers, the U.S. Product Safety Commission said on Tuesday.

The U.S. government has investigated more than 46 driver or passenger deaths linked to the Rhino 450, 660 and 700 models of off-road vehicles, mostly involving rollover accidents. "Of the rollover-related deaths and hundreds of reported injuries, some of which were serious, many appear to involve turns at relatively low speeds and on level terrain," the safety agency said in a statement.

Some 145,000 of Rhino models 450, 660 and 700 have been distributed nationwide since 2003, it said.