The short answer
- Build it 3 to 5 days before Christmas, not on Christmas Eve. A Power Wheels manual asks for at least 90 minutes of adult assembly and an 18-hour first charge before anyone drives it.
- Run it once, recharge it, then hide it built, with the battery unplugged, somewhere dry.
- Skip the wrapping paper. A sheet and a big bow on the car, plus a small clue box under the tree, keeps the surprise.
- On Christmas morning, plug the battery back in, check the remote and the low-speed setting, and drive it outside.
Most ride-ons arrive in pieces, and the battery isn’t ready to drive. Here’s the countdown I’d follow, what’s in the box, and how to hide and wrap something this big.
On this page
Why Not Build It on Christmas Eve?
The build and the first charge both take longer than parents expect. Here’s what four manuals say:
| Ride-on | Time for assembly | First charge |
|---|---|---|
| Power Wheels Jeep Wrangler (12V) | At least 90 minutes | At least 18 hours |
| Peg Perego Gator XUV (12V) | 60 minutes | 18 hours |
| Costzon ride-on truck (12V) | At least 40 minutes | 8–12 hours, never over 20 |
| Razor Dirt Quad (24V) | Up to 20 minutes | 12 hours |
On a Power Wheels the charger plugs straight into the battery, and Mattel recommends starting the first charge before you build. Even so, one put on the charger at 7 PM on Christmas Eve isn’t ready until 1 PM on Christmas Day.
Quads are the quick ones: Razor ships its Dirt Quad 95 percent assembled. We bought an earlier version of Razor’s 24V quad, and ours is still going strong after more than four years.
A Countdown to Christmas Morning
This is the plan I’d follow for a 12V or 24V car:
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| The day it arrives | Count the parts against the manual while you can still exchange it. |
| December 20 or 21 | Start the first charge (Power Wheels and Peg Perego), or build first if it charges through the car. |
| That night | Build it after the kids are asleep. Plan on about two hours. |
| When the charge is done | Pair the remote and run the car through every control outside. |
| Right after | Recharge it, unplug the battery and hide the car. |
| Christmas Eve | Sheet, bow and a clue box under the tree. |
| Christmas morning | Plug the battery in and do the 5-minute check below. |
Why that early? On a Power Wheels, the 18-hour first charge and the 14-hour recharge after its first run add up to 32 hours, and the spare days cover a missing screw or a remote that won’t pair. For delivery, my Christmas gift guide says to aim to have it home by mid-December.
Arrived late? Start the first charge the moment it’s in the door, and don’t cut it short: Peg Perego says that can permanently damage the battery. Put a clue under the tree and make the 26th the first drive.
What Comes in a Power Wheels Box?
For the 12V Power Wheels Jeep Wrangler, the manual lists:
- In the box: the body, the parts you bolt on (axles, running boards, windshield, roll bar, steering wheel, mirrors), a bag of hardware, a sheet of labels, the 12V battery (in the battery compartment), the charger and two assembly tools.
- Not in the box: a Phillips screwdriver, and 3 AA batteries for the sound box.
Many Amazon listings for cars with a parent remote say its AAA batteries aren’t included, so buy a pack now.
Mattel also says to keep all the packaging until you’re done, so no small part goes out with the cardboard. Kids can’t help: the manual says children shouldn’t handle the parts or the battery or help assemble it.
Build after bedtime. My guide to assembling a ride-on car covers the build itself.
Charge It, Pair It and Run It Once
Use the charger that came with the car, for the hours in your manual, and set a phone alarm so you unplug it before the maximum (30 hours on a Power Wheels). Charge it out in the open, never under a sheet or inside a box, because charging gives off explosive gas. My charging guide has the times for each brand.
Then put batteries in the remote and pair it to the car. Take the car outside (Mattel’s manuals say Power Wheels are for outdoor use only) and, in low, run it a few feet forward and back with the remote or by pressing the pedal by hand.
Stop before you switch directions to spare the gears. Then recharge it: Mattel says to charge after every use, however short.
Where to Hide a Ride-On Car
Measure the spot for the built car, not the box. The First Ride On Ford Bronco Raptor 24V ships in a box about 43 x 26 x 15 inches, but built it’s 31 inches tall, twice the height of its box. In my spec database, a typical 12V ride-on weighs about 34 lb and a 24V one about 60 lb, so I’d get a second adult for any stairs.
- Dry. Mattel says to keep a Power Wheels inside or under a cover in rain or snow. A garage, a shed or a neighbor’s garage works.
- Not too cold. Mattel’s battery storage range is -10°F to 75°F, and Razor says not to store the Dirt Quad in freezing temperatures at all. Check your manual before using an unheated garage.
- Unplugged. Mattel says to disconnect the battery when the car isn’t in use, so nobody drives it without you.
- With its box. Flatten the box and hide it too. Costway’s manual says a return has to go back in the original box.
It will still be charged on Christmas morning: battery maker Power-Sonic says sealed lead-acid loses about 3% a month at room temperature.
How to Wrap a Power Wheels
- A sheet and a bow. Drape an old bedsheet over the car, put a big bow on the hood and hang the tag on the steering wheel. Keep tape off the labels, and never cover it while it’s charging.
- A clue box under the tree. Wrap something small that points to the car: a photo, a toy key or a map to the garage. For a quad, go-kart or dirt bike, wrap the helmet. They need one on every ride anyway.
- The unbuilt box, if you’d rather. Put the plan on the tag, like “Build day today, first drive tomorrow,” because the first charge still takes 12 to 18 hours.
The 5-Minute Christmas Morning Check
- Plug the battery in and make sure the hold-down is over it. Mattel warns a battery can fall out and hurt a child if the car tips over.
- Turn on the parent remote and check that it steers and stops the car.
- Leave it on low. A 12V Power Wheels ships with a lock-out screw that holds it to 2.5 mph (here’s how fast a 12V Power Wheels goes). On remote cars, pick the slowest speed.
- Shoes on, belt buckled, and a helmet for a quad, go-kart or dirt bike.
- Go outside to a flat, dry spot in daylight, away from the street, pools and steps, and stay with them. Mattel says never to ride at night.
Won’t go? Check that the battery plug is pushed all the way in and the power switch is on. If a wheel won’t turn after the build, its wheel nut may be too tight.
If a Power Wheels stops, then runs again after a rest, its thermal fuse tripped: Mattel says to take your foot off the pedal and wait about 25 seconds. More fixes: ride-on car not working.
Safety first: an adult builds the car and charges the battery, with its own charger, somewhere dry and ventilated. Keep small parts and plastic bags away from little kids while you build. Don’t charge a battery that arrives cracked or leaking (see the stop signs and my replacement battery guide). Supervise every ride. My ride-on safety guide covers the rest.
FAQ
Can kids drive a Power Wheels inside on Christmas morning?
Not a Power Wheels. Mattel says to use it only outdoors, since it can damage most floors. Some small 6V bumper cars are made for hard floors indoors, like the Kidzone bumper car in the Ages 1 to 3 section of my gift guide.
What if a part is missing or broken?
Photograph the part and the label on the side of the box, and contact the seller or the maker right away, not in Christmas week. Power Wheels owners can also call Mattel’s service line at 1-800-348-0751.
Build it early, give it the full first charge and hide it built. Then Christmas morning is a five-minute check and the first drive.
