Over 23K Children's Ride-On Tonka Dump Trucks Have Been Recalled By Huffy - Here's Why

Nothing seems more innocent than a kid riding on a toy car, but a recent recall has some parents scared. Huffy released a ride-on Tonka Dump Truck featuring the brand's signature black and yellow coloring (the brand and its color have become so iconic that Ford made an F-150 Tonka Truck). The toy also has a steering wheel, working LED headlights, and a dump bed powered by a 12-volt battery. Unfortunately, the battery has led to four reported incidents that could have been dangerous — three parents informed Huffy that the controller overheated and one reported a fire that consumed the entire truck itself. No injuries were reported.

This potential fire hazard has led to Huffy recalling 23,260 Tonka Dump Truck toys on Thursday, April 24, 2025, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Huffy advised parents to stop their children from using their Tonka Dump Trucks immediately and disconnect the battery. Anyone with a recalled toy can contact Huffy for a free controller replacement. 

"Customer safety is our highest priority, especially for young riders, and we are committed to backing up the quality of our products," United Wheels' Vice President of Marketing Chris King told ABC News. "After the single occurrence and consultations with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, we initiated a voluntary recall and have taken proactive steps to notify the public, retail partners, and directly contact all known buyers to provide a simple repair solution for the controller."

Not every Tonka Dump Truck ride-on toy is affected, but parents should check if their purchased toy is part of the recall. This can be done by locating the date code label on the truck's underside, next to the UPC label. The five-numbered date code can be found in the middle of this label. The codes that are a part of the recall include 15923 through 36523, 00124 through 18724 for model 17323, 15623 through 36523, and 00124 through 18424 for model 17362.

If you still aren't sure, you can call Huffy at 800-872-2453 on weekdays from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. EST, or email the company at service@huffy.com. A representative will help you find the code and let you know if your model is included in the recall. You can also talk to someone about getting a replacement controller. 

Chris King went on to tell ABC News, "Our customer service team is available to guide customers through the process. Huffy has built a 130-year legacy based on trust, quality and accessibility, and we are committed to all of our customers and to continuing that legacy moving forward." This isn't even close to the most absurd recalls in automotive history, but it's still a big concern for parents. Luckily, it hasn't been too dangerous and was caught early.