Scooters Recall by Kent International and Kash 'N Gold Ltd.
NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2000
Release # 01-049
Company Phone Number: (800) 354-8785
CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: Mark Ross, (301) 504-7076
CPSC, Kent International and Kash 'N Gold Ltd. Announce Recall of
Scooters
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC), Kent International Inc., of Parsippany, N.J.; and
Kash 'N Gold Ltd., of Ronkonkoma, N.Y., are voluntarily recalling about
97,500 scooters.
Kent Kickin' Mini-Scooters
Kent is recalling about 90,000 scooters. The scooter handles can
unexpectedly come out of the steering column if the clamp holding them
in is not tight, causing the rider to lose control, fall and possibly
suffer injuries.
Kent has received four reports of the handles coming out, resulting in
four children suffering injuries, including broken arms, a broken wrist,
bruises, abrasions and a cracked tooth.
These are Kickin' Mini-Scooters made of chrome-plated steel. A vertical
decal on the steering column reads "KICKIN' MINI SCOOTER." The scooter's
black plastic platform measures about 15 inches long, and it has 4-inch
translucent in-line style wheels. "KENT" and "MADE IN CHINA" are written
on the lower part of the steering column. The scooters were sold with
black backpacks embroidered in white with the word "Kickin."
Toys R Us stores nationwide sold the Kent scooters from May 2000 through
September 2000 for about $60.
Consumers should stop riding these Kent scooters immediately, and
call Kent International to receive a free replacement handlebar with
pins to secure the handlebars. For more information, call Kent
International at (800) 451-KENT (5368) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET
Monday through Friday.
Kent has sold other models to Toys R Us such as the Street Craze, the Street Racer and Scoot that are NOT part of this recall. Scooters that Kent sold to Wal Mart, Meijer's, Target and AAFES are also NOT part of this recall.
Kash 'N Gold Racer X20TM Scooters
Kash 'N Gold is recalling about 7,500 scooters because the plastic "T"
joint between the handlebars can break, causing the rider to lose
control, fall and possibly suffer injuries.
Kash 'N Gold has received two reports of the joint breaking, resulting
in two injuries including a bump on the head and a chest bruise.
These are Racer X20TM model scooters. The scooters' platforms measure 20
inches long. The scooters are made from lightweight aluminum, and have
translucent in-line style wheels. They have swivel handlebars with foam
grips, which adjust to various heights. The nonslip surface on the deck
of the scooter reads, "RACER." "X20" is written on the lower part of the
steering column. The scooters are mostly silver, and have blue, green,
red, orange or clear wheels. The scooters were made in China.
Discovery and Mervyn's stores sold these
scooters nationwide from August 2000 through September 2000 for between
$70 and $100.
Consumers should stop riding these scooters immediately, and
return them to the store where purchased for a refund or a new scooter
with a metal "T" joint. For more information, call Kash 'N Gold at (800)
354-8785 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.