Severity
Moderate
Klackeroo Toy Recalled by Playskool
Reported: September 14, 2000 Initiated: September 14, 2000 #00181
Playskool issued this CPSC recall on September 14, 2000. Classified as Moderate severity. The recall was issued because: Choking. This recall notice is sourced from official CPSC enforcement records. Below you will find the complete product description, hazard information, remedy instructions, and related recalls from the same manufacturer or product category.
Recall Insight
This CPSC action (record #00181) was formally reported on September 14, 2000. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Playskool is listed as the recalling firm. The number of affected units is not disclosed in the agency filing, which is common for drug and food recalls where lot-level tracking supersedes unit counts.
The documented reason for this recall is: Choking Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details.
To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 1 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 26 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.
Recall Distribution by Severity Class
Units Affected
Unknown
Related Recalls
6
1 from same agency
Product Description
Klackeroo Toy Recalled by Playskool NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Originally issued September 14, 2000, Revised October 24, 2002 Release # 00-181 Recall Hotline: (800) 752-9755 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Kim Dulic, (301) 504-7058 Playskool Contact: Audrey Basso, (401) 727-5857 Note: phone number change CPSC, Playskool Announce Recall to Replace Infant Toys WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Playskool, of Pawtucket, R.I., is voluntarily recalling to replace about 550,000 Klackeroo toys. The toy's brightly colored end knobs can detach and allow small, geometric-shaped pieces to come loose, posing a choking hazard to infants and young children. Playskool has received 10 reports of the toy's knobs detaching to release small parts, including four reports of a small part from the toy being found in the mouths of infants and young children. There have been no reported injuries. Playskool's Klackeroo is a brightly colored toy with orange plastic rods and small geometric shapes that move through a center purple ball. Solid-colored knobs with animal faces or the sun and moon imprinted on them cap both ends of each orange rod. When shaken, the rods move through the ball and the geometric shapes slide along each rod, making a "clacking" sound. The knobs are green, yellow, blue and red. The Playskool logo is imprinted on one end knob and "MADE IN CHINA" is imprinted on the center ball. Toy and mass merchandise stores, including Toys "R" Us and Wal- Mart, sold these toys from October 1997 through September 2000 for about $8. Parents and caregivers should take the toy away from infants and young children immediately, and contact Playskool anytime at (800) 752-9755 to receive a free, redesigned replacement toy. The recalled products will be replaced by a redesigned Klackeroo toy (model number 5542) which will feature a red center ball with no sliding geometric shapes.
Reason for Recall
Choking
Details
- Recalling Firm
- Playskool
Recall Profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Agency | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission |
| Severity class | Moderate |
| Status | Active |
| Recall number | 00181 |
| Date reported | September 14, 2000 |
| Date initiated | September 14, 2000 |
| Recalling firm | Playskool |
| Units affected | Not disclosed |
| Distribution | Not disclosed |
Profile values are sourced directly from the official CPSC enforcement record. Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
What product was recalled? ▼
Klackeroo Toy Recalled by Playskool NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Originally issued September 14, 2000, Revised October 24, 2002 Release # 00-181 Recall Hotline: (800) 752-9755 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Kim Dulic, (301) 504-7058 Playskool Contact: Audrey Basso, (401) 727-5857 Note: phone number change CPSC, Playskool Announce Recall to Replace Infant Toys WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Playskool, of Pawtucket, R.I., is voluntarily recalling to replace about 550,000 Klackeroo toys. The toy's brightly colored end knobs can detach and allow small, geometric-shaped pieces to come loose, posing a choking hazard to infants and young children. Playskool has received 10 reports of the toy's knobs detaching to release small parts, including four reports of a small part from the toy being found in the mouths of infants and young children. There have been no reported injuries. Playskool's Klackeroo is a brightly colored toy with orange plastic rods and small geometric shapes that move through a center purple ball. Solid-colored knobs with animal faces or the sun and moon imprinted on them cap both ends of each orange rod. When shaken, the rods move through the ball and the geometric shapes slide along each rod, making a "clacking" sound. The knobs are green, yellow, blue and red. The Playskool logo is imprinted on one end knob and "MADE IN CHINA" is imprinted on the center ball. Toy and mass merchandise stores, including Toys "R" Us and Wal- Mart, sold these toys from October 1997 through September 2000 for about $8. Parents and caregivers should take the toy away from infants and young children immediately, and contact Playskool anytime at (800) 752-9755 to receive a free, redesigned replacement toy. The recalled products will be replaced by a redesigned Klackeroo toy (model number 5542) which will feature a red center ball with no sliding geometric shapes.. Recalled by Playskool.
Why was this product recalled? ▼
Choking
Which agency issued this recall? ▼
This recall was issued by the CPSC on September 14, 2000. Severity: Moderate. Recall number: 00181.
How do I check if my product is affected by a recall? ▼
Check the product description and recall number (00181) against your product. Visit the official CPSC website for the most current information. You can also use our Recall Checker tool to search by product name or brand.
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.
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Recall Context
Product recalls are issued when a manufacturer, distributor, or federal agency determines that a product poses a safety risk to consumers. This recall is classified as moderate severity, indicating the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health consequences. Across PlainRecalls, we track 83,000+ recalls from FDA, CPSC, and NHTSA to help consumers stay informed and act quickly when safety issues arise.
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Data Sources
Data as of 2025. Source: FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS federal recall databases.
- Source: FDA — Food and Drug Administration, openFDA Enforcement API (food, drug, and medical device recalls)
- Source: CPSC — Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls API (consumer product recalls and hazards)
- Source: NHTSA — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Recalls API (vehicle safety recalls)
- Source: USDA FSIS — Food Safety and Inspection Service (meat, poultry, and egg product recalls)
Recall information is sourced from official federal agency databases. Always verify recall details with the issuing agency for the most current status. This information is for research and awareness purposes only.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — demographic + housing + income data. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage + employment by occupation. bls.gov/oes
- BEA Regional Economic Accounts — GDP + personal income by state/metro. bea.gov/data/regional
- U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns — establishment + employment by industry. census.gov/cbp
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-return aggregate data. irs.gov/statistics
- data.gov — U.S. federal open-data portal — discovery layer for additional federal sources. data.gov
Source: Federal recall agencies (FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS) Aggregated multi-agency recall feeds · 2024 Recall data normalized across federal agency feeds; severity classifications follow each agency's own taxonomy (FDA Class I/II/III; CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS).