Even children’s electric cars sometimes have problems with unintentional acceleration
- JAKKS Pacific is recalling around 17,500 ride-on cars due to the risk of accidents.
- On Mario Kart-inspired vehicles, the accelerator pedal can get stuck if it is clogged with dirt.
- The manufacturer provides the owner with a repair kit free of charge (apart from the time required for installation).
It seems that even young drivers can’t escape recalls, as evidenced by the recent JAKKS Pacific recall. The company is recalling approximately 17,500 units of its Mario Kart Ride-On Racer model that were sold at various retailers from October 2022 to January 2024 for approximately $400.
Since the release of Mario Kart Racer, the company has documented at least 65 stuck pedal incidents, 15 accidents and one injury. Ouch.
The model in question uses a 24-volt battery and is fairly easy to distinguish thanks to its Mario livery. According to the manufacturer, the accelerator pedal can get stuck if it is “clogged with dirt.” In this case, the vehicle can continue to drive even if the operator takes his foot off the pedal.
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Parents and young Mario Kart enthusiasts with reading skills can determine whether their Ride-On Racer is affected by the recall by looking at the underside of the chassis. You will find a date code near the rear axle. If this code is one of the following, the vehicle is subject to the relevant recall. Additionally, the pedal itself is another way to identify affected models and looks like the one pictured below.
Affected codes
- 1752VE01
- 1782VE01
- 1952VE01
- 2242VE01
- 2352VE01
- 2852VE01
- 0583VE01
Those with affected models are advised to take two steps. First, stop driving the vehicle. Second, contact JAKKS Pacific at 855-602-5464, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday, or online at www.jakks.com.
The company will send owners a repair kit that includes everything needed to fix the problem. Although the replacement process has not been described in detail, it is advisable to have adult supervision on hand just in case. Oh, and don’t forget to disconnect the negative battery cable.
It turns out that this is important for both large and small cars.
