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
Vehicle Body Errors
Base Errors
Interior Errors
Window Errors
Paint & Tampo Errors
Error Type
Description
Picture
No Tampos
Missing the graphics
Missing Tampo Color
Missing one or more colors that make up the graphic 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.
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.
Under Spray
Too little body paint applied.
Over Spray
Heavy paint coats that fills in small details on the casting.
Paint Run
Body paint run.
Debris In Tampo
Tape, fuzz or hair stuck in the tampo design.
Upside Down Tampo
Tampo applied upside down.
Finger Prints
Finger prints in the finish.
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
Facing Left Most Hot Wheels face to the right.
Upside Down Car Self explanitory.
Upside Down Bubble Blister bubble is attached to the card wrong.
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.
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.
Bad Cutting Alignment Alignment of the sheet was off when cut.
Upside Down Cut Card Correct card for the vehicle cut upside down.
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.
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 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.