CPSC, Empire Industries Announce Recall of Children's Riding Vehicles

The vehicles' battery chargers can overheat, presenting fire and injury hazards to children.

Recall #: 00176
Affected scope: About 113,000

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher. · Updated September 2026

Empire Industries, of Tarboro, N.c. recalled The recalled battery-powered children's riding vehicles were marketed as "Power Drivers" ….

CPSC, Empire Industries Announce Recall of Children's Riding Vehicles was recalled by Empire Industries, of Tarboro, N.c. in August 31, 2000. Reason: The vehicles' battery chargers can overheat, presenting fire and injury hazards to children.. Remedy: Consumers should stop using the vehicles immediately. Empire Industries is no longer in b…. Verify recall #00176 with the CPSC before acting.

The recall

Empire Industries, of Tarboro, N.c. issued this CPSC recall-The vehicles' battery chargers can overheat, presenting fire and injury hazards to children..

None
agency class: August 31, 2000
reported

Sourced from official CPSC enforcement records. Verify recall #00176 with the agency before acting. Full product description, hazard, remedy, and related recalls are below.

Recall Insight

This recall's affected scope, documented in the Recall Profile below, stays within a single-region or limited-distribution footprint. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. Consumers holding this product should act on the agency's documented remedy above rather than relying on general guidance.

Within the same product category the archive holds 6 closely related recalls, 3 from CPSC - clustering in a narrow category often points to a systemic quality-control or supplier issue rather than a one-off defect. Always verify the recall number against the official agency record before acting.

Product description

The recalled battery-powered children's riding vehicles were marketed as "Power Drivers" or "Buddy L" and are powered by two 6-volt batteries, and were manufactured from July 1995 to December 1996. The vehicles are made of plastic and were sold under the following model names: Go-Kart, Beach Splash, Sun Dream, Trail Tracker, Rescue Patrol, and Chevy Z-71 Pick-Up Truck. The model name "Power Drivers" or "Buddy L" appear on each vehicle. The company will help consumers identify if their model is part of the recall. Power Driver vehicles are intended for children 3 to 8 years old, and the vehicles' speed ranges from 2.5 to 5 mph, depending on the model.

Reason for recall

The vehicles' battery chargers can overheat, presenting fire and injury hazards to children.

Remedy, what to do

Consumers should stop using the vehicles immediately. Empire Industries is no longer in business and cannot provide charger adapters or other replacement parts. Consumers should discontinue use of these products, and discard or destroy them.

Recall Profile

Structured summary of the CPSC recall record
Attribute	Value
Agency	U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Severity class	Not classified by agency
Status	Active
Recall number	00176
Date reported	August 31, 2000
Date initiated	August 31, 2000
Recalling firm	Empire Industries, of Tarboro, N.c.
Affected scope	About 113,000
Distribution	Not disclosed
Official source	CPSC notice →

Profile values are sourced directly from the official CPSC enforcement record. Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

What to do with this recall

Consumers should stop using the vehicles immediately. Empire Industries is no longer in business and cannot provide charger adapt…

Check the recall number (00176) and product description against the item you own. Search the archive
Confirm the current status and remedy on the official CPSC notice before acting. CPSC notice
Follow the documented remedy (refund, replacement, repair, or disposal) rather than general advice. What to do next

This page summarizes the official CPSC record for research and awareness; it is not legal, medical, or safety advice. Verify with the issuing agency before acting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What product was recalled? ▼

Why was this product recalled? ▼

The vehicles' battery chargers can overheat, presenting fire and injury hazards to children.

What should consumers do? ▼

Which agency issued this recall? ▼

This recall was issued by the CPSC on August 31, 2000. CPSC does not publish a hazard classification for this recall. Recall number: 00176.

How do I report an injury from a recalled product? ▼

Report injuries to the issuing agency: CPSC at SaferProducts.gov, NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem, or FDA via MedWatch. Document the product (photos, model/serial numbers, purchase receipts) and seek medical attention. Injury reports help agencies track hazard patterns and may strengthen enforcement actions.

Nationwide recalls with similar severity or category timing

Consumer-product notices outside this firm and state, matched by severity timing and product category.

Similar severity · nearest report date

Same archive severity grade, closest by report date among other firms and states.

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Similar Vehicles · nearest report date

Same product category, closest by report date among other firms and states (deduped against the severity set).

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This recall: CPSC, reported August 31, 2000. Severity classes follow each agency's own taxonomy; related-recall context is computed across the full archive.

Methodology · Corrections · Archive as of August 2026