Error Guide

Welcome to the crazy world of error collecting. This guide features many of the different error types any Hot Wheels vehicle can have. It is broken down by the individual parts of a vehicle and some of the manufacturing steps. A basic Hot Wheels generally contains five main parts consisting of a body, window piece, interior, base and axle sets (wheels). Occasionally there can be an accessory piece such as a wing or surfboard. Every piece and the manufactureing step have numerous ways to fail in their own unique way. Click on the link below to see the carnage.

Wheel Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
ASW	All Small Wheels.
ALW	All Large Wheels.
Wrong Size Wheel Set	Either a matching wheel set too large or too small for the vehicle
One Wrong Wheel Size	One wheel on an axle set too large or small.
Mismatch Wheels	Two different wheel rim styles on a car.
Mismatch Wheel Types	Basic wheel and Real Rider axles mixed.
Wrong Size & Mismatch	Wrong size wheel and mismatched.
Matchbox Wheel	A wheel from a Matchbox car on a HW.
Hot Wheels Wheel	A wheel from a HW on a Matchbox car.
Reversed Wheels	Axles installed backwards on the base.
Backwards Wheel	One tire put on the axle with the spokes facing inwards.
Missing Tire Rubber	Rim missing the Real Rider rubber tire.
W Missing Hub Cap	Missing the center part of a multi-part wheel.
Mismolded Co-Mold Wheel	First pass (inner rim) didn't form correctly. Second pass (outer tire) filled it in.
Miscast Wheel	Unfinished molding of the wheel.
Broken Wheel	Part of a broken wheel left on the axle.
Missing One Wheel	Missing one wheel on a peened axle set.
Missing Axel Set	Missing the front, middle or rear axel set.
Missing All Axles	Missing all the wheels.
Missing Axle Sets	Happens on vehicles with 3 or more axle sets.
Extra Wheels	Extra axle set of wheels or one extra wheel inside package.
Extra Wheels Inside	Extra axle set or wheel stuck inside the vehicle.
Uncrimped Axle	Little tabs molded into the base to hold the axle in place missed being crimped down.
Misplaced Axle	Axle is outside of its slot on the base.
Pinched Axle	Axel is bent when crimped to the base.
Pinched Under Body	Wheel is pinched under the vehicle body when assembled.
Unpeened Axle	Axle is not peened (flattened out) over so the wheel falls off. Wheel can still be in the package or missing.
Wrong Axle Size	Axel set is too large or small for the car.
Unchromed Wheel	Missed the chrome foil hot stamped to the spoke design.
Mischromed	Chrome finish applied incorrectly.
Excessive Heat	Stayed under the hot stamping tool too long.
Tool Strike	The pattern of the wheel is pulled off when hit by the stamper again.
Wrong Wheel Finish	Wrong wheel used in the chrome process. This example has a 5 Spoke rear wheel that attempted to get just the outer rim chromed.
Dual Finishes	A wheel with two finish treatments. EX: The front wheel should only be all orange but this one got a chrome rim applied too.
Mismatch Chrome	Same wheel but two different chrome applications. EX: Chrome rim ring on one wheel and all chrome rim on the other.
Mismatch Colors	Same wheel but two different colors.
Missing Wheel Tampo	Missing the wheel tampo.
Misplaced Wheel Tampo	Wheel tampo applied wrong.
Tampo Wrong Side	Tampo applied to the back side of a wheel.
Double Wheel Tampo	Tampo applied to the wheel twice.
Retampoed Wheel	Two different tampo designs applied to the same wheel.
Mismatch Tampos	Correct wheel rims but different tampos on them.
Too Much Paint	Too much paint applied in the wheel tampo process.
Wrongly Tampoed Wheel	Matching wheels set but one has tampos when it shouldn't.

Vehicle Body Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
Mis-Cast	Holes or deformities during the molding process.

Base Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
Reversed Base	Base put on backwards

Interior Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
Missing Interior	No interior piece

Window Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
Missing Windows	No window piece

Paint & Tampo Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
No Tampos	Missing the graphics

Final Assembly Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
Unriveted / Unspun	Rivet posts missed being smushed down to lock the car together

Miscellaneous Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
Missing Engine	Engine piece left behind

Packaging Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
Wrong Card	Packaged on a card for a different vehicle