Sea-Doo Switch Recall Fails to Remedy Dangerous Capsizing Defect, Class Action Claims

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A proposed class action lawsuit claims that Bombardier Recreational Products has failed to provide an effective repair for Sea-Doo Switch pontoon boats sold with a dangerous design defect that can cause the vessels to capsize under normal operating conditions.

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The 31-page complaint contends that Bombardier has misrepresented its jet-powered Sea-Doo Switch pontoon boats as safe, seaworthy recreational vessels despite knowing about and failing to correct a design defect that can allow water to accumulate in the Switch’s center hull, causing the vessel to nose-dive, capsize and throw passengers into the water.

According to the case, a recall issued in February 2025 and subsequent safety repairs have failed to address the underlying defect, leaving the Sea-Doo Switch boats unsafe for their intended use.

Per the lawsuit, the Sea-Doo Switch—which includes the Switch, Switch Cruise, Switch Cruise Limited, Switch Sport and Switch Fish trims—uses a triple-pontoon design consisting of two foam pontoons alongside a center motor hull and a forward bow deflector. Although the foam pontoons provide buoyancy, the design allows water to flow forward and collect in the forward bow deflector, weighing the vessel down, the suit alleges.

The case claims that when passengers are seated near the bow, or front, this buildup of water can cause the front of the boat to submerge, nose-dive and capsize. Even when passengers are distributed elsewhere in the vessel, the suit claims that rearward-flowing waves generated by the hull can lift the stern and force the bow underwater, producing the same dangerous outcome.

The lawsuit states that since the Switch’s introduction to the market in 2022, there have been multiple Sea-Doo Switch capsizing incidents due to the defect, resulting in severe injuries and fatalities.

According to the complaint, Bombardier first acknowledged the defect in February 2025 by recalling model year 2022 to 2025 Sea-Doo Switch boats, warning that improper distribution of weight could overload the front of the vessel and potentially cause it to capsize. The Sea-Doo Switch recall represented that the issue could be fixed through the application of sealant to the hull (with the exception of 2025 models) and the addition of warning labels, which the company would perform for free, the case notes.

However, the lawsuit alleges, this remedy failed to eliminate the underlying defect and capsizing incidents continued to occur.

The suit contends that Bombardier effectively conceded that the first repair was inadequate when it issued an updated recall notice in October 2025 stating that a component of the previous repair “may not perform to our expectations for durability.” The updated Sea-Doo Switch recall notice instructed owners of affected boats, including 2025 and 2026 models, to have the sealant on the hull replaced with three gaskets or, if the boat already had gaskets, to have them inspected, the suit relays. According to the complaint, this repair also failed to address the design flaw.

Finally, in May 2026, the suit says, Bombardier notified owners that they could install an Intelligent Balance Assist (iBA) sensor and software update intended to improve calibration and reduce the risk of capsizing. According to the complaint, the installation of the iBA system was not required for safe vessel use and was merely provided to consumers as an additional safety measure on top of what the company had already offered.

The lawsuit argues, however, that even the iBA update did not correct or eliminate the design defect in the Sea-Doo Switch.

“The defect is in the hull design and the wave the hull generates, which causes stern lift and bow drop,” the complaint asserts. “This design defect is not remedied via any of the recalls or notices that Sea-Doo has sent to owners and cannot be remedied absent a complete re-design of the Sea-Doo Switch boats.”

The case claims that Bombardier was aware or should have been aware of the defect long before the boats were put on the market through pre-sale testing, engineering analyses and other standard product-development practices. The company also failed to disclose to consumers that its recall repairs were ineffective and instead led them to believe that the remedies would significantly lower the risk of capsizing, the complaint claims.

Despite this alleged knowledge, Bombardier continued marketing its Sea-Doo Switch pontoon boats as safe, luxurious vessels worth their starting price tags of $24,799 to $52,499, the lawsuit alleges.

The Bombardier class action lawsuit seeks to represent all individuals and entities who purchased a Sea-Doo Switch boat in the United States during the applicable statute of limitations period.

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