Step2 Recalls 2.5 Million Children’s Toy Car Buggies

Injuries of children, including two that that required professional medical treatment have prompted Step2 Company, a Streetsboro, OH toy manufacturer to recall 2.5 million toy car ride-along buggies.

The recalled Step2® Push Around Buggy™ and Whisper Ride Buggy™ are ride-along toys shaped like small cars, with a steering wheel, horn and seat where a toddler can ride and pretend to drive while another person pushes the buggy from behind using the handle. The buggies came in a variety of colors including orange, red, blue, pink and green and have a red “Step2” logo on the handle of the buggy.

A design defect of these buggies can cause the handle to detach from the buggy during use, posing a serious risk of injury to a child because the buggy can roll away unexpectedly. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), a pin attaching the yellow knob on the handle of the buggy that can become loose is the cause of the hazard.

The defect caused accidents in which twenty-six children sustained scrapes and scratches and two children needed professional medical attention.

“We are constantly looking to improve our products,” Step2 spokesperson Alexis Black told Bloomberg Businessweek via e-mail. The news source reports that the recall followed “a rigorous design analysis and is a reflection of our commitment to be the leader in safe toys that are built to last for years.”

Major retailers, including Wal-Mart, Toys “R” Us and Target, and specialty shops nationwide sold these recalled buggies from August 1999 through March 2010 for $29 and $59.

You can determine if your Step2® Push Around Buggy or Whisper Ride Buggy are recalled by finding the yellow pin on the back of the handle, these are units are recalled. The company has corrected the design defect in newer buggies. If you buggy has a handle attached by a bolt with a plastic white or black head and nut, this is the newer model and not included in this recall.

Recalled Step2® Push Around Buggy:

Models: 715700, 792300, 7923TA, 7923OR, 796600, 7966TA
UPC: 733538715701, 733538768493, 733538792306, 733538792313

Recalled Step2 Whisper Ride Buggy:

Models: 768400, 882900, 885700
UPC: 733538796694, 733538882991, 733538885794

Consumers with a recalled buggy should stop using the product immediately and contact Step2 for a free repair kit at (866) 860-1887 or visit www.step2.com for instructions.

Step2 is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys and the world’s largest rotational molder of plastics. Liberty Partners, a New York-based private equity investment firm, owns the company.