Vehicle Safety
Recalls Search 320,000+ NHTSA safety recalls Complaints 2.1M+ consumer safety complaints TSBs 4.7M technical service bulletins VIN Lookup Decode any vehicle VIN instantly OBD Codes 12,000+ diagnostic trouble codes Fuel Economy EPA MPG data for all vehicles Safety Ratings 11,700+ NHTSA crash test ratings Investigations 5,300+ NHTSA defect investigations Statistics Recall trends & safety analysis
Consumer Safety
Product Safety 9,700+ CPSC product recalls Food Safety 28,600+ FDA food recalls Pet Safety 1.3M FDA animal adverse events Drug Safety 17,500+ FDA drug recalls Device Safety 38,400+ FDA device recalls Workplace Safety 102,900+ OSHA injury reports Brand History Cross-category recall lookup by company
Infrastructure
Bridge Safety 624,000 bridge inspections Aviation Safety 30,000+ NTSB aviation events Dam Safety 92,600 dam safety records Water Safety 433,000+ public water systems Railroad Safety 438,000+ rail crossings Pipeline Safety 8,800+ pipeline incidents State Safety Dashboards Safety grades for all 50 U.S. states ZIP Safety Report Check any 5-digit ZIP across 9 datasets
Public Health
Nursing Homes 14,700 CMS rated facilities Environmental 80,000+ hazardous sites & releases
Blog

Vehicle Safety

Vehicle Recalls320,000+ NHTSA safety recalls Browse VehiclesEvery make, model and year Complaints2.1M+ consumer safety complaints TSBs4.7M technical service bulletins VIN LookupDecode any vehicle VIN instantly OBD Codes12,000+ diagnostic trouble codes Fuel EconomyEPA MPG data for all vehicles Safety Ratings11,700+ NHTSA crash test ratings Investigations5,300+ NHTSA defect investigations StatisticsRecall trends & safety analysis Compare VehiclesTwo vehicles side by side

Consumer Safety

Product Safety9,700+ CPSC product recalls Food Safety28,600+ FDA food recalls Pet Safety1.3M FDA animal adverse events Drug Safety17,500+ FDA drug recalls Device Safety38,400+ FDA device recalls Workplace Safety102,900+ OSHA injury reports Brand HistoryRecall lookup by company

Infrastructure

Bridge Safety624,000 bridge inspections Aviation Safety30,000+ NTSB aviation events Dam Safety92,600 dam safety records Water Safety433,000+ public water systems Railroad Safety438,000+ rail crossings Pipeline Safety8,800+ pipeline incidents State DashboardsSafety grades for all 50 states ZIP ReportAny 5-digit ZIP across 9 datasets

Public Health

Nursing Homes14,700 CMS rated facilities Environmental80,000+ hazardous sites & releases BlogGuides, news & safety insights

Kellogg "Cool Flute" and "Binoculars" toys

CPSC Recall #88-118 - December 27, 1988

Recall Summary

Recall Number88-118
Recall DateDecember 27, 1988
Remedy TypeDispose, Refund
Units AffectedApproximately 30 million

Product

Kellogg "Cool Flute" and "Binoculars" toys

Description

BATTLE CREEK, MICH. -- In cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Kellogg Company announced today that it is voluntarily recalling two promotional toys, "Cool Flute" and "Binoculars," packaged in some of its products because they fail to comply with CPSC's small parts regulations. Approximately 30 million of these items were distributed nationally beginning in the spring of 1988. Kellogg Company and the CPSC share a concern that when subjected to use and abuse testing these premiums may break into small parts and pose a potential choking hazard to children under three years of age. The "Cool Flute" is a plastic musical toy with two plastic tubes connected to a mouthpiece. Only the "Cool Flute" found in Corn POPS cereal is affected by this recall. "Cool Flute" toys found in other products are not subject to this action. While Kellogg has received no complaints of injuries related to children playing with a "Cool Flute," one choking incident, which did not result in serious injury, was reported to the CPSC. The "Binoculars" consist of two plastic lenses with a cardboard holder. "Binoculars" are distributed in marked boxes of FRUITY MARSHMALLOW KRISPIES, COCOA KRISPIES, and RICE KRISPIES, and the family size 12-count POP TARTS toaster pastries. No complaints of injuries involving playing with the "Binoculars" have been reported. Kellogg Company and the CPSC also want to inform consumers who have a "Cool Flute" (from Corn POPS only) or "Binoculars" in their homes to take them away from children under three years of age and discard them, or return the toy to Kellogg Company for reimbursement. If reimbursement is desired, consumers may send either toy to Kellogg Company, P.O. Box 3599, Battle Creek, MI 49016. Consumers with any questions may call Kellogg Company Consumer Affairs department collect at (616) 961-2277 or 616-961-2278. For media inquiries, call George Franklin at (616) 961-3799.

Hazard

When subjected to use and abuse testing, these premiums may break into small parts and pose a potential choking hazard to children under three years of age.

Incidents & Injuries

While Kellogg has received no complaints of injuries related to children playing with a "Cool Flute," one choking incident, which did not result in serious injury, was reported to the CPSC. No complaints of injuries involving playing with the "Binoculars" have been reported.

Remedy Instructions

Kellogg Company and the CPSC want to inform consumers who have a "Cool Flute" (from Corn POPS only) or "Binoculars" in their homes to take them away from children under three years of age and discard them, or return the toy to Kellogg Company for reimbursement. If reimbursement is desired, consumers may send either toy to Kellogg Company, P.O. Box 3599, Battle Creek, MI 49016.

What Should You Do?

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

Browse All Product Recalls Recalls by Manufacturer Recalls by Retailer Browse by Hazard Type

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, Refund) 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.

Back to All Product Recalls