Safety Recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued the following recalls:
* Fontaine Modification is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Freightliner M2 vehicles built on Freightliner chassis and equipped with dual steering components that may have been installed improperly. The air hoses routed very close to the turbo outlet can cause the lines to blister and melt, developing air leaks that may lead to brake lock up increasing the risk of a crash.
* Certain model year 2009-2011 Timpte TDH trailers equipped with aluminum upper couplers have the potential to fracture some of the structural components of the upper coupler. This could cause premature failure of the upper coupler, increasing the risk of injury to the driver.
* The air disc brake caliper on certain model year Kenworth T660, T700, T800 and W900 vehicles manufactured from Dec. 22, 2010 through Aug. 2, 2010, and equipped with AG400L air disc brakes could be installed on the wrong side of the drive axle. This could cause interference with the suspension bracket and the rear suspension as the outermost brake pads wear and the floating caliper moves inboard. As this interference gets larger, this could lead to reduced braking performance, increasing the risk of a crash.
* The rear hold-down brackets that secure the battery box lid on certain Mack CXU model year 2010 through 2011 trucks manufactured from Aug. 12, 2009 through Aug. 31, 2010, may be rotated too far forward. This may restrict the battery box lid from properly seating. If this occurs, the battery box lid may come off when stepping on the step, which may cause a person to fall from the vehicle.
* Certain model year 2011 Mack CHU and CXU, trucks manufactured from July 13, 2010, through Aug. 13, 2010 were made without rear mud flap hanger brackets. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.” The rear conspicuity treatment typically found on the mud flap hanger brackets may not have been installed in the alternate positions as allowed in the regulation on vehicles manufactured without rear mud flap hanger brackets. Lack of reflectors could lead to reduced visibility of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a cras
* On certain Kinedyne aftermarket combination winch bars, model numbers 10032 and 10033, shipped from Jan. 1, 2010 to Oct. 25, 2010, the winch bars may be prone to a fracture at the weld that joins the steel bar to the chain binder. If a weld fails unexpectedly, the winch bar could strike a user and cause them to lose their balance or fall.
* The spindle nut on certain ArvinMeritor TL series trailer axles sold as aftermarket replacement equipment may not have been properly torqued when assembled, allowing for excessive end-play in the wheel-end system that could progress to a wheel separation. Separation could result in a vehicle crash.
* Fifth-wheel trailers sold by NuWa, Peterson, JayCo, Entegra, Starcraft, Coachmen and Carriage equipped with 1200-series Norcold refrigerators may have insufficient thermal switch devices. The switch devices are designed to stop power when high temperatures are detected. If the high temperatures are not detected, they can produce a possible hydrogen leak and internal fire.
* On certain Altec service vehicles with model years between 1994 and 1997, the boom lift cylinder part 350-40094 could fail when subjected to frequent tensile loading. The failure of the boom lift cylinder could cause serious injury or death. n
