Severity
Moderate
CPSC, Racing Champions Ertl, Inc. Announce Recall of Children's Toy Toolboxes
Reported: September 6, 2001 Initiated: September 6, 2001 #01228
Racing Champions issued this CPSC recall on September 6, 2001. Classified as Moderate severity. The recall was issued because: Choking; Laceration. 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 #01228) was formally reported on September 6, 2001. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Racing Champions 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; Laceration 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 25 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
September 6, 2001Release # 01-228 Firm Hotline: (866) 898-4999 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Nychelle Fleming, (301) 504-7063 CPSC, Racing Champions Ertl, Inc. Announce Recall of Children's Toy Toolboxes WASHINGTON, D.C.- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Racing Champions Ertl Inc. (RCE), of Dyersville, Iowa, is voluntarily recalling about 11,600 John Deere Kids Toolboxes. The toy's carrying handle can break, creating small parts and a sharp plastic edge that pose a choking and laceration hazard to young children. CPSC and RCE have not received any reports of injuries. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injuries. The children's toolbox is a soft-shelled, plastic, green box with a yellow handle and yellow raised letters that read "John Deere." A John Deere Kids logo with a fawn inside a red oval is imprinted on the front of the toolbox. The toolbox is sold with a green and yellow plastic ratchet wrench and pliers inside. Stamped on the bottom of the product is "JOHN DEERE LICENSED PRODUCT" and "MADE IN CHINA." All yellow-handled toolboxes are included in this recall. John Deere dealers and other farm supply retail stores nationwide sold the toys from June 2001 through September 2001 for about $13. Parents and caregivers should take the toy away from young children immediately and contact RCE at (866) 898-4999 anytime for instructions on returning these toys and receiving a free replacement toolbox. John Deere Toolboxes with green handles are not included in this recall
Reason for Recall
Choking; Laceration
Details
- Recalling Firm
- Racing Champions
Recall Profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Agency | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission |
| Severity class | Moderate |
| Status | Active |
| Recall number | 01228 |
| Date reported | September 6, 2001 |
| Date initiated | September 6, 2001 |
| Recalling firm | Racing Champions |
| 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? ▼
September 6, 2001Release # 01-228 Firm Hotline: (866) 898-4999 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Nychelle Fleming, (301) 504-7063 CPSC, Racing Champions Ertl, Inc. Announce Recall of Children's Toy Toolboxes WASHINGTON, D.C.- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Racing Champions Ertl Inc. (RCE), of Dyersville, Iowa, is voluntarily recalling about 11,600 John Deere Kids Toolboxes. The toy's carrying handle can break, creating small parts and a sharp plastic edge that pose a choking and laceration hazard to young children. CPSC and RCE have not received any reports of injuries. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injuries. The children's toolbox is a soft-shelled, plastic, green box with a yellow handle and yellow raised letters that read "John Deere." A John Deere Kids logo with a fawn inside a red oval is imprinted on the front of the toolbox. The toolbox is sold with a green and yellow plastic ratchet wrench and pliers inside. Stamped on the bottom of the product is "JOHN DEERE LICENSED PRODUCT" and "MADE IN CHINA." All yellow-handled toolboxes are included in this recall. John Deere dealers and other farm supply retail stores nationwide sold the toys from June 2001 through September 2001 for about $13. Parents and caregivers should take the toy away from young children immediately and contact RCE at (866) 898-4999 anytime for instructions on returning these toys and receiving a free replacement toolbox. John Deere Toolboxes with green handles are not included in this recall. Recalled by Racing Champions.
Why was this product recalled? ▼
Choking; Laceration
Which agency issued this recall? ▼
This recall was issued by the CPSC on September 6, 2001. Severity: Moderate. Recall number: 01228.
How do I check if my product is affected by a recall? ▼
Check the product description and recall number (01228) 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).