'Mario Kart' Toy Recalled Over Serious Hazard

A batter-powered cart is under recall due to a crash hazard caused by the accelerator.

By Michael Hein

A Mario Kart toy designed to put children in the driver's seat as recalled this week due to a potential crashing hazard. The product is called the "Children's Mario Kart Ride-On Racer Car" by JAKKS Pacific, and it is a 24-volt batter-operated cart modeled after the "standard kart" in Mario Kart 8. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, it has a flaw that can cause the operator to lose control of acceleration, forcing them to crash.

The CPSC found that debris can get stuck in the acceleration pedal on this real-life Mario Kart, and if it does the pedal my stick even when the driver removes their foot. It's unclear if the cart has a brake, but either way this is too great of a risk to continue selling the product. Consumers who already have one are advised to stop using it immediately and contact JAKKS Pacific for a free repair kit.

The repair kit comes with a replacement pedal which can be installed by any adult. It will prevent the acceleration pedal from sticking. Retailers have been informed, so any products on shelves should not be impacted by this recall. New versions with the pedal fixed are already on sale at retailers around the U.S. or online.

If you're unsure if your cart was purchased before this recall, you can determine that by looking at the 8-character alphanumeric code on the bottom of the blue panel on the vehicle's underside. The codes under recall are listed below.

  • 1752VE01
  • 1782VE01
  • 1952VE01
  • 2242VE01
  • 2352VE01
  • 2852VE01
  • 0583VE01

There have been 65 reports of incidents involving stuck acceleration pedals so far, according to the CPSC. Only one of those resulted in a minor injury for the child involved.

Customers in need of a repair kit or with questions can contact JAKKS Pacific by phone at 855-602-5464, or online at jakks.com. To keep up with recalls from the CPSC, visit their website and sign up for alerts.

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