The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SEMI-TRAILERS. THESE SEMI-TRAILERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH SUSPENSION BOGIES THAT CAN SLIDE FORWARD AND AFT TO CHANGE THE AXLE POSITIONS. THE BOGIES SLIDE ALONG A PAIR OF BODY RAILS THAT ARE WELDED DIRECTLY TO THE BOTTOM FLANGE OF THE I-BEAM CROSSMEMBERS THAT MAKE UP THE FLOOR SUPPORT STRUCTURE. THE FRONT STOP PIPES WERE INADVERTENTLY WELDED TO THE BODY RAILS SEVERAL INCHES BELOW THE BOTTOM OF THE CROSSMEMBERS.
The risk
CYCLIC TENSION LOADING WILL RESULT IN THE OUTSIDE GUSSET WELD CRACKING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
THIS CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY CAMPAIGN NO. 02V-295. DEALERS WILL CUT AWAY THE VERTICAL CONNECTION OF THE GUSSET TO THE RAILS ELIMINATING THE GUSSET CRACKING IN THE AREA WHERE THE STOP PIPE IS SOLIDLY WELDED INTO THE BODY RAILS.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 |
Components: STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1988 | 0 | 2 |
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1989 | 0 | 2 |
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1990 | 0 | 2 |
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1991 | 0 | 2 |
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1992 | 0 | 2 |
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1993 | 0 | 2 |
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1994 | 0 | 2 |
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1995 | 1 | 2 |
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1996 | 0 | 2 |
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1997 | 0 | 2 |
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1998 | 0 | 2 |
| Wabash Roadrailer | 1999 | 0 | 2 |
Other structure recalls in 2000
18 of the 541 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2000 concerned the structure; WABASH NATIONAL CORP. filed 7 campaigns in all.
| 00V429000 29 Dec 2000 | GLAVAL BUS DIVISION |
| 00V394000 28 Nov 2000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 00V379000 17 Nov 2000 | FLEETWOOD ENT., INC. |
| 00V375000 13 Nov 2000 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 00V353000 30 Oct 2000 | SUN HAWK PRODUCTS, INC. |
| 00V343000 25 Oct 2000 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 00V278000 18 Sept 2000 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 00V219000 17 Aug 2000 | BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2000