Perego children's riding vehicles
CPSC Recall #99-084 — March 23, 1999
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 99-084 |
| Recall Date | March 23, 1999 |
| Remedy Type | Repair |
| Units Affected | About 274,000 |
| Manufacturer | Peg Perego USA Inc., of Fort Wayne, Ind. |
Where It Was Sold
| Toy stores and retail catalogs sold the vehicles nationwide from 1990 through 1997 for about $100 to $550. |
Product
Perego children's riding vehicles
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Peg Perego USA Inc., of Fort Wayne, Ind., is recalling about 274,000 battery-powered children's riding vehicles for repair. Pedals can stick and electrical components can overheat, presenting fire and injury hazards to children. CPSC and Peg Perego have received about 320 reports of electrical components overheating or pedals sticking. Thirty fires have been reported, resulting in one child suffering second-degree burns to his hand and at least $55,000 in property damage. One child suffered a concussion and six children received bruises when accelerator pedals stuck and the vehicles hit trees, fences, walls or parked automobiles. The Peg Perego vehicles being recalled run on 12 volts, powered by two 6-volt batteries, and were manufactured before December 1997. The vehicles are made of plastic and have been sold under the following model names: Corral 270, Diablo, Dragon, Gaucho, Gaucho Grande, Gaucho High Torque, Gaucho Sport, Magica, Magnum, Ranger GT, Thunderbolt, Thundercat, and Tornado. The model name and Peg Perego appear on each vehicle. The company will help consumers identify if their model is part of the recall. Peg Perego vehicles are intended for children 3 to 8 years old, and the vehicles' speed ranges from 2.5 to 5 mph, depending on the model. Toy stores and retail catalogs sold the vehicles nationwide from 1990 through 1997 for about $100 to $550. Consumers should remove the vehicles' batteries right away and not let children use the vehicles until the repair has been made. Consumers should contact Peg Perego at (800) 728-2108 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or at their website, www.perego.com, to order a free repair kit, which can be installed by the consumer or by an authorized Peg Perego service center. Service centers will not have repair kits. The 12-volt, two battery Peg Perego vehicles manufactured since 1998 and the 6-volt, one battery vehicles are not included in this recall. Consumers can also view a video clip about this recall (transcript). This is in "streaming video" format.
Hazard
Pedals can stick and electrical components can overheat, presenting fire and injury hazards to children.
Incidents & Injuries
CPSC and Peg Perego have received about 320 reports of electrical components overheating or pedals sticking. Thirty fires have been reported, resulting in one child suffering second-degree burns to his hand and at least $55,000 in property damage. One child suffered a concussion and six children received bruises when accelerator pedals stuck and the vehicles hit trees, fences, walls or parked automobiles.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should remove the vehicles' batteries right away and not let children use the vehicles until the repair has been made. Consumers should contact Peg Perego at (800) 728-2108 to order a free repair kit, which can be installed by the consumer or by an authorized Peg Perego service center. Service centers will not have repair kits.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair 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 (Repair) 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.