November 2007 Recalls
VEHICLE SAFETY DEFECT/NONCOMPLIANCE NOTICES RECEIVED DURING NOVEMBER 2007
East Side Custom Choppers (ECC) is recalling 9 MY 2003-2004 Savage and MY 2005-2006 Psycho motorcycles. The factory-installed welded gusset plate connecting the frame backbone, neck, and down tube is missing. As a result, additional stress would be placed on the welds causing rapid wear and possible joint separation. Frame separation of the neck, down tube, and backbone joints could cause the driver to lose steering and control of the bike, possibly resulting in a crash. ECC is working with RC Components to notify owners and have the motorcycles repaired (please see 07E036). 07V-509
Polaris is recalling 326 MY 2008 Victory Vision motorcycles. The voltage regulator/rectifier assembly may have an overcharging condition. An overcharging situation in conjunction with a loose battery connection could cause a stalling condition. An unexpected loss of engine power could cause a loss of control of the motorcycle increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the voltage regulator/rectifier and inspect both battery cables for tightness. The recall began on November 5, 2007. 07V-510
Palomino RV is recalling 105 MY 2007-2008 folding camping trailers equipped with a power winch, Model P55000, built by Carefree of Colorado. An incorrect material was used in the manufacture of the cable shafts on some of these power winch units. Under certain circumstances while the folding camping trailer top is being lifted, if the winch is placed into a stall condition, the cable shaft may break prior to the fuse or circuit breaker tripping. Should the cable shaft break, the FCT top could then free-fall into the lower position, possibly resulting in injuries. Dealers will install new cable shafts. Palomino RV is working with Carefree of Colorado to have new cable shafts installed (please see 07E077). 07V-511
Honda is recalling 6,545 MY 1998-2007 Civic GX compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. In the event of a severe interior fire in the area of the rear seat, the CNG tank may be heated unevenly, preventing the pressure relief device from venting the contents of the tank as designed. This could result in a tank rupture, explosion, and ejection of the tank from the vehicle. Dealers will install a heat insulator material to the rear seat back. An interim owner letter was mailed to owners on November 26, 2007. When parts are available, owners will be renotified asking them to bring in their vehicle for repair. This recall was the subject of a Preliminary Evaluation, PE07-028, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 07V-512
Autocar is recalling 75 MY 2007-2008 WX, WXLL, and WR vehicles for failing to comply with requirements of Part 568, ‘Vehicles Manufactured in Two or More Stages, All Incomplete,
Intermediate and Final-Stage Manufacturers of Vehicles Manufactured in Two or More Stages.’ The gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) label, as applied, may not be accurate. The VWR label may indicate that the vehicle’s load capacity is higher than the designed weight rating. Due to the error in GVWR labeling, it is possible that a vehicle could be overloaded without the vehicle operator’s knowledge. A vehicle in an overloaded condition may be susceptible to component failure that may result in loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Autocar will send a letter which describes the discrepancy in GVWR labeling, and will include a complete set of revised GVWR labels including a revised incomplete vehicle document label along with instructions for application of the labels. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-513
Forest River is recalling 2,983 MY 2007-2008 Flagstaff and Rockwood folding camping trailers (FCT) equipped with a power winch unit, Model P55000, built by Carefree of Colorado. An incorrect material was used in the manufacture of the cable shafts on some of these power winch units. Under certain circumstances while the folding camping trailer top is being lifted, if the winch is placed into a stall condition, the cable shaft may break prior to the fuse or circuit breaker tripping. Should the cable shaft break, the FCT top could then free-fall into the lower position, possibly resulting in injuries. Forest River is working with Carefree of Colorado to have new cable shafts installed (please see
07E077) The recall began on December 4, 2007. 07V-514
American Suzuki is recalling 28,221 MY 2004-2007 GS500 and MY 2002-2007 GZ250 motorcycles. The rear reflex reflector on affected GS500 motorcycles and the rear and side reflex reflectors on affected GZ250 motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, ‘Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.’ The reflex reflectors have a reflected light output at some measurement angles that is less than the minimum output required by the standard. It is possible that this could contribute to a following motorist’s not noticing the motorcycle in darkness, which may contribute to a rear-end crash. Dealers will replace the non-complying reflex reflectors with complying eflectors. The recall began on November 16, 2007. 07V-515
Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) is recalling 191 MY 2007 NEV low-speed 2, 4, or 6-passenger short, long and long bed XD electric vehicles. An insufficient weld on the hand park lever brake assembly (parking brake) may fail. This failure causes a total loss of parking brake hold. A failure of the parking brake could allow the vehicle to roll away if it is parked on an ncline, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. GEM will replace the parking brake assembly on all affected vehicles. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-516
Tiffin Motorhomes is recalling 11,438 MY 1997-2004 Allegro, MY 1998-2004 Allegro Bay and Allegro Bus, MY 2000-2004 Phaeton, and MY 1999-2003 Zephyr motor homes equipped with a two-door refrigerator manufactured by the Dometic Corporation. These refrigerators may have a defect in the boiler tube. Pressurized coolant solution could be released into an area here an ignition source (gas flame) is present. Release of coolant under certain conditions could ignite and result in a fire. Tiffin will be working with Dometic in order to repair these refrigerators (please see 06E076). Dometic will repair these refrigerators by installing a secondary burn housing, a thermal fuse, and a melt fuse. Dometic has retained Stericycle Inc. to manage this campaign. Stericycle will assist the owner in locating dealerships or service centers and will provide assistance with scheduling of appointments. This recall was the subject of an Equipment Query, EQ06-019, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 07V-517
Keystone RV is recalling MY 2007 Hideout and MY 2008 Energy travel trailers that may have been manufactured with the incorrect hanger and shackle bolt torque on the axle suspension. If the bolts do not have the proper torque applied, they could come off the vehicle while driving causing poor vehicle handling increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will verify the shackle bolts have the correct torque and re-tighten if necessary. All vehicles are still at dealers. No trailers have been sold to customers. 07V-518
GM is recalling 20,514 MY 2001 Saturn L-Series passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.2L 4-cylinder engine. Links in the engine’s timing chain can separate. An elevated rate of engine timing chain link separation has occurred. If a timing chain link separates while the engine is running, the engine will stall and will not restart increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the timing chain. The recall is expected to begin during January 2008. This recall was the subject of an Engineering Analysis, EA06-009, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 07V-519
GM is recalling 57,100 MY 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent passenger vehicles not equipped with optional roof rail airbags or optional sunroof. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 201, “Occupant Protection in Interior Impact.” During NHTSA impact tests, the interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard requirements. The results of this test indicated a possibility of an increased risk of head injury in a crash. Dealers will install an energy absorbing foam piece to each of the a-pillar trim assemblies. The recall is expected to begin during January 2008. 07V-520
GM is recalling 11,975 MY 2001 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks equipped with an 8.1L V8 engine. The crankshaft position can operate intermittently or fail completely. If the sensor operates intermittently, the SES light may illuminate and the vehicle may run rough. The engine may stall, and if so, may re-start immediately or after a cool down period. If the sensor becomes completely inoperative, the engine will quit running and will not re-start. Either of these failures can
increase the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the crankshaft position sensor. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. This recall was the subject of an Engineering Analysis, EA06-016, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 07V-521
Gulf Stream is recalling 139 MY 2006-2007 Sun Voyager, Sun Voyager SE, Independence and Sun Sport motor homes built on Workhorse chassis. These motorhomes may have been equipped with incorrect steering intermediate shafts. The spline can strip while the steering wheel is being turned. This steering condition could result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash. Workhorse is conducting this recall (please see 06V148). They will inspect and, if necessary, replace the steering intermediate shaft. 07V-522
Thule is recalling 73 galvanized utility trailers. A bracket used to attach the axle to the trailer body was reversed during assembly. The improper installation of the bracket may cause the axle to disengage from the trailer while in use. The axle may release partially or wholly from the trailer and may begin to vibrate or weave while in tow increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will disconnect the improperly assembled bracket and re-assemble it in a proper manner. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-523
Pace American is recalling 315 MY 2003-2006 cargo trailers. An aluminum wheel can crack on the edge causing the wheel to break apart. Loss of tire pressure and deflating tires could increase the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the cracked wheels. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule. 07V-526
Nissan is recalling 653,910 MY 2002 and 2005-2006 Altima and Sentra vehicles equipped with 2.5L engines. The crankshaft position sensor can overheat causing a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor. If the interruption in the signal from the sensor is so brief that the electronic control module (ECM) logic does not have time to diagnose the condition, the engine may stop running without warning while the vehicle is driven at a low speed increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will
reprogram the ECM. Certain MY 2006 Altimas which have been previously remedied under recall campaign 06V223 (Nissan R0606) are not included in this recall since the reprogramming for that recall also included this reprogramming. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. This recall was the subject of a Recall Query, RQ06-001, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 07V-527
Nissan is recalling 1,115 MY 2008 Xterra sport utility vehicles. The antilock brake system/vehicle dynamic control (ABS/VDC) actuator is designed with one ball in the valve section. Some ABS/VDC actuators were manufactured with more than one ball in the valve. This could result in a reduction in brake effectiveness without warning increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the ABS/VDC actuator with a new one. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-528
Volvo Trucks is recalling 2,054 MY 2008 VNL, VNM, and VT trucks. The bolts that attach the steering gear to the frame may not have been tightened to the specified torque. Loss of steering control could occur increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will tighten the bolts. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-529
Freightliner is recalling 38,000 MY 2006-2008 Argosy, Columbia, Century ST, Coronado, Classic, Classic XL, FLD, FLD-SD, Business Class M2, Sterling Acterra, A-Line, L-Line, and Western Star 4900 truck-tractors equipped with Holland Simplex SE or SE II fifth wheels. The latch lever pivot bolt assembly may have been over-tightened which could distort the pivot bolt spacer sleeve. Corrosion or contaminates in the pivot may cause it to bind and prevent the fifth wheel jaw from latching securely around the trailer king pin. There is a possibility that the fifth wheel may fail to latch without the driver’s knowledge. When this occurs, the driver could drive away and the trailer could become disengaged increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the pivot bolt and sleeve with a hex head shoulder bolt and washer. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. This recall was the subject of a Preliminary Evaluation, PE07-047, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 07V-530
Mack Trucks is recalling 1,058 MY 2008 CHU, CXN, CXU trucks. The bolts that attach the steering gear to the frame may not have been tightened to the specified torque. Loss of steering control could occur increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will tighten the bolts. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-531
Freightliner is recalling 5,000 MY 2008 Century ST, Columbia, and Coronado trucks. The wiper motor ground wire was omitted in a new harness design. The wiper motor may not operate or may function intermittently. The wiper motor may stop functioning. In certain conditions, this could impair visibility and a crash could occur if the vehicle is not safely stopped. Dealers will add a ground wire to the wiper motor harness. The recall is expected to begin on or about January 6, 2008. 07V-532
BMW is recalling 320 MY 2007 Mini Cooper and Cooper S convertible vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 110, “Tire Selection and Rims.” The standard requires that the tire size and corresponding tire pressure be indicated on the label and the label does not correspond to the actual tires mounted on the vehicle. Tire pressure that is too high can cause premature wear and tire damage which could lead to unfavorable driving conditions
increasing the risk of a crash. Owners will be provided with new tire information placards and installation instructions. At the customer’s option, a dealer can install the label for them. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-533
Ford is recalling 737 MY 2008 F-650 and F-750 trucks equipped with Caterpillar C7 or C9 diesel engines. A fuel pump failure will dilute the engine oil with fuel and may cause the turbocharger to fail and cause loss of throttle control with warning. The warning may be experienced by erratic performance and excessive smoke. Both of these conditions may result in a situation where a vehicle crash could occur. Ford is working with Caterpillar to have the fuel pump replaced (please see 07E053). 07V-534
Harley-Davidson is recalling 538 MY 2008 Dyna FXD, FXDB, FXDC, FXDL, and FXDWG motorcycles built and shipped to California. The catalytic muffler protective heat shield was not installed. This condition could allow direct contact with this muffler and cause injury. If contact occurs while riding, it could cause loss of control of the motorcycle, leading to injury or death. Dealers will install the heat shields to the mufflers. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-535
Kidron is recalling 863 MY 2005-2007 van trailers with slider suspensions for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 223, “Rear Impact Guards.” During testing, the slider suspension rail between the rear impact system and the rear support at the rear of the rig system deformed. The rig system is comprised of the rear impact guard and the trailer support system. The testing procedure was for guard energy absorption and guard strength. The purpose of
this standard is to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries that occur when light duty vehicles collide with the rear end of trailers and semi-trailers. Dealers will add supports between the trailer crossmembers above the end of the slider rails free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. This recall was the subject of an investigation, OA-223-061019, conducted by the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance. 07V-536
Monaco Coach is recalling 53 MY 2007 Holiday Rambler Alumascape Suite and McKenzie Lakota Estate fifth wheel travel trailers. The design specifications for the slideout actuator and bracket location is between the two street side tires. The adapter bracket from the actuator to the slide room has square corners. If the fifth wheel trailers are fully loaded and hit any bumps, the tires may rub the square corner of the bracket. The rub may wear into the tread of the tire over time causing a tire
blowout. A tire blowout could cause a loss of control of the trailer which could result in a vehicle crash. Dealers will trim the square corner of the lower rear part of the bracket giving clearance to the rear tire on the street side. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-537
Monaco Coach is recalling 207 MY 2007 Holiday Rambler Aluma-Lite, MY 2008 Savoy and McKenzie MY 2007 Star-Lite and MY 2008 Starwood travel trailers. The converter neutral wire was connected to the bonding (ground) bar instead of the neutral bar. This could lead to a situation with a shock hazard increasing the risk of personal injury. Dealers will remove the neutral wire from the bonding bar and install it on the neutral bar, both of which are located in the load center of the vehicle. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-538
Coachmen is recalling 395 MY 2008 Freelander 3130, Maverick 313, and Freedom Express 31 Class C mini-motor homes. The 12 volt slideroom wire connection to the chassis ignition system may be wired incorrectly causing the brake on the slideroom motor to disengage when the ignition is in the ‘on’ or ‘run’ position. This could cause the slideroom to ‘relax’ and possibly move to the out position while in transit if the travel locks provided with the vehicle are not installed as recommended. Should
the slideroom extend while the vehicle is in motion, a crash could occur. Dealers will properly wire the slideroom motor brake activation system free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V539
Blue Bird is recalling 13 MY 2006-2007 Express coaches. The castle nuts on the tie rod ends and relay rod studs in the independent suspension assemblies are loose and/or not tightened to specifications. Low and/or no torque on a nut can result in excessive slack in the steering system, thereby allowing the tapered joint to move and subsequently shear the cotter pin. This condition can result in the steering link to become disconnected and cause a loss of steering control which could
result in a crash. Blue Bird is working with Arvin-Meritor to repair these coaches. The recall began on November 9, 2007. 07V-540
Ford is recalling 45 MY 2008 Focus, Expedition, F250 and F350 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, ‘Occupant Crash Protection.’ The driver air bag module may not have been properly assembled. This condition may prevent the driver air bag from properly deploying and reduce occupant protection in the event of a crash. Dealers will replace the driver air bag module. The recall began on November 20, 2007. 07V-541
Honda is recalling 410 MY 2008 Ridgeline vehicles. The hole in the sheet metal front bulkhead that serves as the base and pivot point for the hood support rod was not punched to specification. The hood support rod may fail to hold the hood in position due to insufficient strength. If the hood support rod hole fails, the hood could fall increasing the risk of injury. Dealers will inspect the prop rod base hole and, if necessary, install reinforcement parts free of charge. Honda telephoned all owners on November 26, 2007, asking them to bring their vehicles in to their dealers for inspection. A followup letter will be mailed during January 2008. 07V-542
Fontaine is recalling 293 MY 1998-2006 Ford F450 and F550 Classic Traveler pickup trucks equipped with Reyco Granning Model 345P air ride suspensions. The bracket supporting the horizontal track rod at the frame attachment can become loose and eventually crack and break. This condition could cause the track rod to be ineffective in maintaining lateral control between the axle and frame resulting in vehicle handling problems increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect the bracket and nut/bolt hardware. If the bolts are loose or the bracket has cracked, the bolts, nuts, and brackets will be replaced. If the bolts are installed correctly and are tight, they will be removed and replaced with new bolts and locktite. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-543
Freightliner is recalling 33,303 MY 2001-2008 Thomas Built FS-56, ER, MVP ER, HDX, and MVP EF school buses equipped with Tyco PC boards and Type II auto reset circuit breakers. Type II auto reset circuit breaker temperatures may exceed the rating of the Tyco PC board causing the boards to melt increasing the risk of a vehicle fire. The manufacturer has not yet provided the agency with a remedy program. The recall is expected to begin on or about February 1, 2008. This campaign supersedes safety recall 06V-136. This recall was the subject of a Preliminary Evaluation, PE07-029, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 07V-544
Toyota is recalling 34,343 MY 2006 Lexus GS and IS vehicles. High stress areas may have been created in two specific fuel pipes located in the engine compartment. Combined with other factors such as the presence of corrosive agents in fuel, a crack may form over time leading to fuel leakage from the fuel line(s). Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire. Dealers will replace the two involved fuel lines with newly designed lines free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-545
Braun is recalling 4,000 MY 2004-2007 Sienna handicapped accessible low floor minivan conversions manufactured by Independent Mobility Systems and built on Toyota chassis, the driver side rear axle beam mount may not have been adequately welded to the OEM chassis. This may result in a squeaking noise, worn tires, a rough ride, or degradation in vehicle control. The mount may become partially separated from the chassis. Passengers, pedestrians, or other motorists may be injured or killed. Dealers will install a redesigned axle beam mounting structure, using enhanced welding practices. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-546
R-Vision is recalling 646 MY 2007-2008 Trail-Sport, Trail-Cruiser, Trail-Lite Cross Over, MY 2007 Trail-Lite and Boogie-Box travel trailers. The converter neutral wire is connected to the bonding (ground) bar instead of the neutral bar. This could lead to a situation with a shock hazard increasing the risk of personal injury. Dealers will remove the neutral wire from the bonding (ground) bar and install on the neutral bar. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V-547
