Guitar Hero fanatics beware - product recall of Nintendo Wii Guitars
Alert! To all parents out there whose kids are obsessed with their Nintendo Wii systems, please take note that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today announced a recall of Rage Wireless Guitars – a controller for the Wii version of the immensely popular Guitar Hero music game. These guitars have been found to have a defective circuit board that can cause AA batteries to leak, posing a risk of chemical burns to consumers. One Rage Guitar user has reported injury thus far.
Following is additional information that has been issued by the U.S. CPSC:
Name of Product: Rage Wireless Guitars
Units: About 57,000
Manufacturer/Distributor: Performance Designed Products LLC, of Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Hazard: A circuit board defect can cause AA batteries used in the guitar to leak if the batteries are installed incorrectly, posing a risk of chemical burns to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Performance Designed Products has received one report of a burn to a consumer.
Description: The Rage Wireless Guitar controller is designed to be used on the Nintendo Wii system. The guitar is blue or white and is 31 inches long. The guitar contains battery-operated LED-lighted fret buttons that go up the neck of the guitar.
Sold at: Mass merchandisers and specialty retailers nationwide from June 2008 through September 2008 for between $40 and $60.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the wireless guitar game controllers immediately and return them to the place where purchased for a full refund. Do not contact or return the product to Nintendo.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Performance Designed Products at (800) 331-3844 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.pdp.com.
To get more information on this recall and/or others, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or visit CPSC's web site at
www.cpsc.gov/talk.html.