Fisher-Price Power Wheels
CPSC Recall #99-012 - October 21, 1998
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 99-012 |
| Recall Date | October 21, 1998 |
| Remedy Type | Refund |
| Units Affected | About 10 million |
Where It Was Sold
| Toy and mass merchandise stores nationwide sold the cars and trucks since 1984 for about $70 to $300. |
Product
Fisher-Price Power Wheels
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Fisher-Price, of East Aurora, N.Y., is conducting a voluntary recall involving up to 10 million battery-powered Power Wheels ride-on cars and trucks. The vehicles' electrical components can overheat and cause fires. Children can suffer injuries from fires and house fires can occur. Additionally, wiring problems can prevent the vehicles from stopping. CPSC and Fisher-Price have received approximately 700 reports of electrical components failing and overheating while the cars and trucks were being ridden, charged, parked or stored. About 150 fires have been reported. Nine children suffered minor burns to the hands, legs, or feet; and up to $300,000 in property damage to 22 houses and garages have been reported. There have also been 71 reports of vehicles not stopping. Six children suffered bruises, scratches or bumps when their vehicles hit a car, truck, pole, window or fence. The recalled Power Wheels cars and trucks have been sold under nearly 100 model names. The Power Wheels logo and the model name are on each vehicle. All models with two batteries are recalled, and certain models with one battery are recalled. The company will help consumers identify if their model is part of the recall. Power Wheels cars and trucks are intended for children 2 to 7 years old, and the vehicles' speed ranges from 1 to 5 mph, depending on the model. Toy and mass merchandise stores nationwide sold the cars and trucks since 1984 for about $70 to $300. Consumers should remove the vehicles' batteries right away and not let children use these Power Wheels vehicles. Contact Fisher-Price online at www.service.mattel.com and click on “Recalls & Safety Alerts” or at 800-348-0751 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday for more information. The firm will be providing pro-rated refunds based on the age of the recalled products. Power Wheels sold after October 1998 are not involved in this recall.
Hazard
CPSC and Fisher-Price have received approximately 700 reports of electrical components failing and overheating while the cars and trucks were being ridden, charged, parked or stored.
Incidents & Injuries
CPSC and Fisher-Price have received approximately 700 reports of electrical components failing and overheating while the cars and trucks were being ridden, charged, parked or stored. About 150 fires have been reported. Nine children suffered minor burns to the hands, legs, or feet; and up to $300,000 in property damage to 22 houses and garages have been reported. There have also been 71 reports of vehicles not stopping. Six children suffered bruises, scratches or bumps when their vehicles hit a car, truck, pole, window or fence.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should remove the vehicles' batteries right away and not let children use these Power Wheels vehicles. The firm will be providing pro-rated refunds based on the age of the recalled products.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund 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 (Refund) at no cost to you.
If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident, they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
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.