Wooden pull toys SKU# 1197598: gray elephant, red and black soldier, and brown bear

CPSC Recall #94-041 — February 28, 1994

Recall Summary

Recall Number94-041
Recall DateFebruary 28, 1994
Remedy TypeDispose, No Remedy Available
Manufactured InSri Lanka

Product

Wooden pull toys SKU# 1197598: gray elephant, red and black soldier, and brown bear

Description

PRODUCT: Three wooden pull toys SKU# 1197598, imported by Pier 1 Imports and sold in its stores nationwide during the 1993 holiday season. The toys came in three styles: a gray elephant, a red and black soldier, and a brown bear. Each toy has a wooden base with wheels and a pull string with a bead at the end. PROBLEM: During CPSC testing, the wooden beads at the end of the pull strings separated and various other wood chips separated during impact testing, presenting a potential choking hazard to young children. WHAT TO DO: Firm no longer in business. Recall remedy no longer available. WASHINGTON, DC -- CPSC, Pier 1 Imports, Fort Worth, TX is continuing its voluntary recall, initiated in December of 1993, of three wooden pull toys. The pull toys came in three styles: a brown bear, a gray elephant, and a red and black soldier, each on a wooden base with wheels and a pull string that has a bead at the end. Each toy is approximately 6 inches high, 6 inches long, and 3 inches wide and has a white sticker on the underside of the base that reads, "Made in Sri Lanka 1197598 100/1001 7.99." The toys were sold for $7.99 during the 1993 holiday season. CPSC tested the pull toys and found that the small wooden beads at the end of the pull strings separated during tension testing, presenting a potential choking hazard to young children. In addition, various other wood chips separated during impact testing. Consumers are urged to take the pull toys away from young children immediately and discard the product. Neither CPSC nor Pier 1 Imports is aware of any injuries involving these pull toys. Pier 1 Imports took corrective action immediately after it was made aware of the potential problem and is conducting the voluntary recall in order to prevent the possibility of injury. The potentially hazardous pull toys were identified by the Public Interest Research Group in Washington, DC. CPSC is announcing this recall as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products.

Hazard

During CPSC testing, the wooden beads at the end of the pull strings separated and various other wood chips separated during impact testing, presenting a potential choking hazard to young children.

Incidents & Injuries

Neither CPSC nor Pier 1 Imports is aware of any injuries involving these pull toys.

Remedy Instructions

Firm no longer in business. Recall remedy no longer available. Discard the product. Do not donate or resell.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, No Remedy Available at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Dispose, No Remedy Available) at no cost to you.

Federal law prohibits the sale of toys with small parts for children under age 3. CPSC uses a standardized small parts cylinder to test whether pieces from a toy can fit entirely inside — if they can, they are considered a choking hazard. Products marketed for children under 3 must not contain any small parts. Beyond the legal requirements, the CPSC and pediatricians recommend keeping all small objects away from children under 4, as the risk of choking extends beyond the formal legal age threshold.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.