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CPSC, Firms Announce Recall of Remote Controlled Toy Race Cars and Galileo Weather Thermometers

U.S. CPSCBurnsIngestionJun 19, 2001
Recalled Toy Race Car
Recalled Toy Race Car
Recalled Thermometer
Recalled Thermometer

Photos from the official notice: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission · image rights

Hazard

Problems with the circuits are rendering some of the Remote Controlled Race Cars inoperable. These cars can overheat and emit smoke and may pose a potential burn hazard. The thermometers contain a liquid that is flammable and a hazardous substance that could be harmful or fatal if swallowed.

Remedy

Consumers should stop using these cars immediately, remove the batteries from the remote controlled race cars and the remote controls and return the remote controlled race cars and remote controls to the Texaco station where purchased, for a full refund. Consumers also may return the items for a full refund, by obtaining a prepaid shipping label by calling Equity Marketing Inc. Consumers should stop using these thermometers immediately and return them to the Christmas Tree Shops Inc. where purchased, for a refund.

Incidents & injuries

Equity Marketing Inc. has received three reports of the toy cars emitting smoke. No injuries have been reported. CPSC and Nantucket Distributing Co. Inc. have received five reports of thermometers breaking resulting in two injuries. A man suffered burns to his hands when the thermometer broke near a stove and ignited his clothing. Another man suffered smoke inhalation when extinguishing a fire caused by candles igniting a broken thermometer.

Product description

The remote controlled race cars are black with the number 28 printed in red on the doors and roof and the Texaco logo printed on the hood of the car. The cars are about 8 inches long by 3 inches wide and 2 inches high. A black cordless remote control is sold with the cars and reads in part "FORWARD," and "REVERSE" in yellow print. The thermometers are made of glass. They are cylinder-shaped, measuring about 17 inches high. Inside the cylinder are floating small glass spheres filled with various colors of liquid. Attached to each sphere is a metal disk with different temperatures embossed on both sides. The spheres float up and down within the cylinder to identify a temperature based on their position within the cylinder. A small gold sticker that says "Made in China" is on the bottom of the cylinder.

Sold on

Participating Texaco gas stations nationwide sold the cars under the "Need for Speed" promotion, from May 2001 through June 1, 2001, for about $12, with any $10 purchase. The Christmas Tree Shops Inc. in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Albany, New York sold these thermometers, from June 2000 through December 2000, for $12.99.

Contact the company

Consumers may call Equity Marketing Inc. at (888) 747-4355 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or by writing to Remote Controlled Car Recall, Equity Marketing, Inc. at 6330 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048. For more information, consumers may also visit the firm's website at www.equity-marketing.com. For more information, consumers should call Christmas Tree Shops Inc. at (800) 876-9677 anytime, or visit the firm's website at www.christmastreeshops.com

What should I do?

Stop using the product and follow the remedy below. Contact the company for a refund, repair or replacement — recall remedies are free.

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