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 steps have numerous ways to fail in their own unique way. Click on the links below to see the carnage.

Wheel Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
ASW	All Small Wheels.
ALW	All Large Wheels.
Wrong Thickness	Correct rim styles but wheels either too thick or too thin for location.
Wrong Size Wheel Set	A matching wheel set either too large or too small for the vehicle
One Wrong Size Wheel	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.
Backwards Tire Rubber	Real Rider rubber backward on tire so tampo faces inwards.
W Missing Center Hub	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.
Axle Installed Wrong	Axle is inserted through the spokes of a wheel.
Unpeened Axle	Axle is not peened (flattened 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.
Foil Edge Hit	Caught the edge of foil leaving a straight edge on rim. Coloring can be half missing or only a sliver.
Over Chromed	Foil applied more than once to rim.
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.
Mismatch Chrome	Same wheel but two different chrome applications. EX: Chrome rim ring on one wheel and all chrome rim on the other.
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 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
Bent Body	Smashed or bent body before packaging
Mis-Cast	Holes or deformities during the molding process.
Unfinished Casting	Missing a large portion of the body.
Casting Tab	Extra chunk of metal or plastic on the base leftover from the molding process.
Casting Flashing	Excess thin metal left on the vehicle.
Broken Piece	Piece of the body broken off. Broken piece could be in the blister bubble or at the factory.
Missing Body Part	Missing a large piece of the body on a two part vehicle.
Missing Body	No main body piece on the car.
Extra Body	Extra car body in the package.
Body Only	Only the vehicle's body is in that package.

Base Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
Reversed Base	Base put on backwards.
Upside Down	Base riveted on upside down.
Wrong Base	Base from a different vehicle. This '68 Nova has a '68 Cougar base.
Missing Base	Missing the base. Post can be spun or unspun.
Bent Base	Warped or bent not due to being misriveted.
Broken Base	Snapped or cracked base. Can be missing broken part.
Miscast Base	Incomplete molded part or cast with holes in it.
Blockage	Something in mold to cause a blank spot on the base.
Casting Tab	Extra chunk of metal or plastic on the base leftover from the molding process.
Flashing	Excess thin material left on the base.
Mischromed Base	Bad finish (Satin Look) or completely missing chrome in spots.
Debris In Chrome	Material stuck in finish.
Mispainted Base	Under or over sprayed paint on a base.
Missing Tampo	Missing the painted detailing on the base.
Misplaced Date Code	Put in a spot where it is illegible or obscured by mistake.
Bad Date Code	The code is a letter and number between 01-52. This one is B92.

Interior Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
Missing Interior	No interior piece.
Reversed Interior	Piece put in backwards.
Upside Down Interior	Piece put in upside down.
Misplaced Interior	Interior piece out of place causing assembly problems.
Loose Interior	Part or all of the interior loose in the package.
Wrong Interior	Piece from a different vehicle.
Extra Interior	Another interior piece inside the package.
Mischromed Interior	Missing part of the chrome finish exposing raw plastic.
Casting Tab	Piece of plastic or metal left over from the molding process.

Window Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
Missing Windows	No window piece
Missing Partial Windows	Missing one part or a multi-piece window.
Loose Window	Popped out or unsnapped window piece still in package.
Misplaced Window	Piece can be too far forward, back or crooked.
Backwards Window	Window piece in backwards.
Upside Down Window	Window piece installed upside down.
Wrong Window Piece	Incorrect window for the vehicle.
Two Window Pieces	Stuffed inside one car.
Extra Window Piece	Another window piece inside the package.
Miscast Piece	Unfinished or deformed piece.
Casting Flashing	Extra thin chunks of plastic left on a window piece.
Air Bubble	Air bubble trapped in window piece.
Double Tampo	Extra window tampo.
Stray Tampo	Random tampo placement. EX: Back window has another Super Tsunami tampo.
Missing Tampo Color	One of the design's colors missing. EX: No red on the banner.
Unspun Keeper Post	Post that keeps window piece not spun or crimped.

Paint & Tampo Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
No Tampos	Missing the graphics
Missing Tampo Color	Missing one or more colors that make up the tampo.
Multi Tampos	Two or more applications of the tampo.
Single Color Dual Application	Only one of the colors stamped two or more times.
Extra Tampo Paint Smear	Too much paint caused by poor tampo application. Can be large streaks, blobs or long thing stripes.
Misplaced Tampos	Tampo applied too high, low, forward or back of where it should be.
Misaligned Tampo Colors	Different color tampo passes not aligned.
Tampo Color Shortage	One or more of the tampo colors applied too light or not enough.
Reversed Tampo	Tampo applied backwards.
Upside Down Tampo	Tampo applied upside down.
Retry	Tampo color or all colors applied upside down and then run through again correctly.
Bleed Through	Sometimes HW cars are repainted when there are leftovers. If not done properly, the car's first paint job bleeds through the new one.
Missing Main Body Color	Missing a main color spray in a two tone paint job.
Under Spray	Too little body paint applied leaving raw ZAMAC.
Over Spray	Heavy paint coat that fills in small details on the casting.
Paint Run	Body paint run.
Debris In Finish	Tape, fuzz or hair stuck in the paint or tampo design.
Finger Prints	Finger prints in the finish.

Final Assembly Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
Too Much Force	Bent the vehicle when riveted.
Alignment Problem	Body and base not aligned when riveted.
One Misriveted Post	Only one of the two post misriveted.
Misriveted	Both post struck wrong.
Partially Spun Post	Post not fully smashed down leaving play in the parts.
Unspun Post	Only one of the two post unspun.
Unspun / Unriveted	Rivet posts missed being spun down to lock the car together.
Unlatched	Body is not hooked over or into the base to lock car together properly.
Tool Strike	Car was upside down in the rivet spinning machine.
Re-Try	Front post was already spun when the base was put on and then the rear post spun.

Miscellaneous Errors

Error Type	Description	Picture
Loose Engine	Engine loose in the package.
Mis-Installed Engine	Piece installed wrong.
Backwards Engine	Engine piece facing the wrong direction.
Missing Engine	Engine piece left behind at the factory.
Loose Wing/Spoiler	Loose wing or spoiler off the top, front or rear of the vehicle.
Missing Wing/Spoiler	Missing the wing or spoiler off the top, front or rear of the vehicle.
Backwards Wing/Spoiler	Installed backwards.
Misplaced Wing/Spoiler	Installed wrong.
Casting Tab	Extra chunk of metal or plastic on the wing leftover from the molding process.
Missing Fenders	Missing the fender piece.
Mis-Installed Grill/Bumpers	Piece installed wrong.
Missing Grill/Bumpers	Missing the front or rear bumper or grill piece.
Missing Interior & Window	No interior & window piece.
Sideways Hood	Hood piece attached to vehicle wrong.
Missing Hood	Missing the hood on an opening hood vehicle.
Missing Hood & Painted	No hood before paint and engine bay gets paint & tampo.
Loose Accessory	Any secondary piece loose in the bubble.
Missing Accessory	Can be missing a secondary part of the vehicle like the surfboards, driver or spare tire.
Extra Accessory	Extra accessory piece belonging to vehicle.
Extra Foreign Part	Extra part of a different car in the package.
Miscast Accessory	Any mismolded or extra material on a accessory part.
Multi-Error	Any vehicle with multiple problems not caused by a specific error. PIC EXAMPLE: ASW and Misaligned Base. NON Double Error Example: Misplaced window causing the car to not fit the base right.
Trapped Debris	Hair, tape or any other object stuck in the vehicle during assembly.
Raw Part	Unfinished or plated piece.
QC Arrow	A small sticker from Quality Control pointing out an error.
Wrong Sticker Application	Sticker applied wrong.
Misprinted Sticker	Printing error of the sticker.
Missing Sticker	No sticker.
Missing Promo Item	Missing the free gift or non vehicle addition to the package.
Wrong Promo Item	Wrong item or additional accessory packaged with the vehicle.

Packaging Errors

Facing Left: Most Hot Wheels face to the right.

Upside Down Car: Self explanitory.

Upside Down Bubble: Blister bubble is attached to the card upside down.

Sideways: Packaged with the body or base facing outwards.

Wrong Card: Mispackaged on another vehicle's card.

Empty Package: No car inside.

Blank Card: No blister attached. Can be untouched or struck by machine.

Misaligned Bubble: Can be too high, too low or crooked on the card.

Upside Down: Bubble and J hook attached upside down on the correct card.

Upside Down Cut Card: Correct card for the vehicle cut upside down.

Bad Cutting Alignment: Alignment of the sheet was off when cut.

Multi Failures: Wrong card for the vehicle and cut upside down.

Nose Up/Down: Packed with the front pointed up or down.

Missing Plastic Keeper: Second plastic part that holds the vehicle gone.

Trapped Part: Piece of the vehicle trapped in the bubble.

Wrong Bubble: This bubble is used on Code Cars.

Misprinted: Any card printing error.

Missing Foil Embosing: No chrome foil on the card.

P Misembossed: Chrome embossing mis-aligned on the card.

Mispackaged Accessory: Other pieces packaged wrong.

Two Cards: A blank card stuck to the back.

Misformed Bubble: Deformed or holes in the blister bubble.

Missing Backing: Missing the white or colored background cardboard.

Duplicate Car: Two of the same car in a gift pack or multi-pack.

Contents Inserted Wrong: Multi-pack sets or gift packs packaged upside down.

Wrong Promo Card: Vehicle name on card matches packaged vehicle but is incorrect due to the promo listed on the card.

Debris in Package: Tape, paper, J-Hooks, fuzz, hair, bugs, noodles, coins, string, metal slag, "ban-aid" like material, etc in the blister bubble.

Missing Name Plate: No name tag in a multi part package.

Extra Package Piece: Duplicate part of the packaging inside.

The * (star) symbol in red on a picture denotes an unknown owner of the error. Other pictures labled with error owner and authenticated.

Unmarked pictures are errors owned by Maelstrom610 and authenticated.

Maelstrom610 03:10, November 16, 2011 (UTC)