Thousands of Mario Kart racing karts recalled due to dangerous faulty pedal

Thousands of Mario Kart racing karts are being recalled due to an issue surrounding the acceleration pedal getting bogged down by debris and leaving users unable to control their speed.

California-based toy company Jakks Pacific has been forced to recall 17,500 units of their Mario Kart 24V Ride-On Racer Cars due to its acceleration pedal causing harm to riders.

The company officially recalled its stock on April 25, 2024. According to the United States Consumer Product and Safety Commission, the acceleration pedal connected to the $400 karts caused users to lose control of their vehicle due to debris getting jammed in the pedal.

The organization detailed in the recall report, “The firm has received 65 reports of incidents of debris-clogged pedals sticking, of which 15 of the vehicles crashed into permanent structures with one minor injury, a chafed hand.” 

Furthemore, the United States Consumer Product and Safety Commission recommended users should stop using the Mario Kart product at once and contact Jakks Pacific to receive a free repair kit. One that includes a replacement pedal and instructions on how to install it.

While many on social media were concerned over the potential harm of the product, some also poked fun at Nintendo for creating a “realistic” kart that, similarly to how it operates in video games, is hard to slow down.

One X user (formerly known as Twitter) commented, “Well they wanted to ride like Mario Kart right?” Another added, “The Mario Kart being recalled for being too awesome and baller.”

At the time of writing, Nintendo has not released any statements regarding the recall. However, we’ll be sure to keep you updated if the creators of Mario Kart do speak out about the matter.