Power Wheels LogoHow many of you know the history of Power Wheels? They have quite the colorful past that spans over 30 years. Included in this history lesson is the rise of a global giant and the black eye of numerous product recalls. We will also provide a quick link to our What’s What in the battery world helping you select the correct 12 volt battery for your toy.

Power Wheels Origins

Does the name Pines of America ring any bells? Probably not, but this innovative company from the early 80’s pioneered the battery powered ride on toy. This pioneer, which invented and ushered in the multi-billion industry, was purchased in 1984 by a company called Kransco.  A couple years later they settled on the Power Wheels brand name to market their investment. They licensed the rights to use popular attractions and adult vehicles, such as the Jeep Wrangler, to help bolster their appeal. Within six years Kransco Power Wheels was selling 1,000,000 plus battery-powered vehicles per year.

Then in 1994, the hundred pound gorilla of toy manufacturing, Mattel, purchased Kransco and nestled the Power Wheels label into its Fisher-Price division. By 1999 they had reached agreements to license even more popular labels including the Harley-Davidson motorcycle ride on toy. These agreements contributed to record sales for the entire line! To date, more than 100 small scale model names have been used from the likes of the Jeep Hurricane, Ford F-150, Cadillac Escalade, Porche 911, Harley-Davidson Cruiser and the Kawasaki KFX quad to name a few. They also include popular Disney and toy characters such as Barbie and Lightning McQueen from the movie Cars.

Product Safety Recalls

Now all Cinderella stories have to have an ugly stain, right? PowerWheels history is no different.
Kids Riding Power Wheels Toys
In 1991, the 18-volt Porsche riding automobile was the first recall for the company. When a child would press the foot (gas) pedal it would trip a switch and propel the toy forward. The initial surge of electricity coming through the contact points, in some cases would, fuse the thin wires together leaving the toy in motion and unable to stop.

In 1998 Fisher-Price undertook the monumental task to recall up to 10 million Power Wheels toys manufactured since 1986! The primary goal was to replace and strengthen battery connectors in order to prevent the units from overheating and causing fires. The original “S” connector on the earliest models and the “H” connector were to be replaced with the larger “A” style connector. All of these systems used either a single six volt battery or two 6-volt batteries connected in series to create 12 volts. Newer 12V models made after this period most likely use a single gray 12-volt battery and more recently the gray with orange top 12 volt battery.

 

[Related Article: Compare Power Wheels 12 Volt Battery 00801-0638 and 00801-1661 to select the correct 12V replacement battery.]

 

It is worth mentioning, that if you still have a vehicle that uses the old style “S” or “H” connector, you may be able to have it upgraded under the recall. Or at the very least have someone help you convert yours to the newer “A” style. It is one of those things where you may never experience an issue, but is it worth rolling those dice just one more time? Or calculating just how much harm could really happen if you don’t update?

There was another, much smaller recall in 2000 that affected 218,000 Harley-Davidson Power Wheels toys. In this case the foot pedal could stick, leaving the replica in the “on” position and potentially causing injury.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced on June 7, 2001 that Fisher-Price had agreed to pay a civil penalty of $1.1 million to settle CPSC charges that it failed to report serious safety defects with their battery-powered toy vehicles. This was the largest fine against a toy firm in the CPSC's history up until that date.

Power Wheels Batteries

It is worth notating that in all the safety recalls the battery was not the issue. Many people associated the battery, which is the source of the power, as the cause. However, the choice of connector and improper gauge of wiring/material was the culprit.

Batteries in and of themselves are a passive reservoir of potential energy. They respond to external stimuli to give up there stored energy or accept incoming energy. In simplest of terms, the rate of energy transfer to and from the battery is what can cause harm. Excess heat can be generated if the wiring is not sufficient to carry the load (such as the case with the recalls). Or if too much of or the wrong kind of energy is forced into the battery, the battery can become deformed, catch fire or even explode in extreme cases.

But remember, harm can come from just about anything that is misused or mistreated. When the battery is used properly it is actually quite safe. The new sealed AGM batteries even have built in safety release valves to vent excess heat to help prevent premature battery failure from external forces.

If you need a replacement 12V power wheels battery for your Fisher-Price Power Wheels battery-powered ride-on you have stopped at the right place. Perhaps you have a Peg Perego or Motion Trenz toy needing a battery. We stock their full line and even carry replacements from non-OEM brands that provide longer run times between charges. Click on over and make a purchase or leave us feedback below. We love to hear your questions and strive to answer everyone quickly and accurately.