The defect
ON CERTAIN BUS CONVERSION MOTOR HOMES, THE SUPPORT PLATE MOUNTING HOLES WERE IMPROPERLY DRILLED ALLOWING CONTACT BETWEEN THE FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER DUST COVERS AND THE AIR SPRING PISTON. THE REPEATED MOTION OF THE SHOCK ABSORBER DUST COVER MAY FRACTURE THE AIR SPRING PISTON. CONTACT OF THE AIR SPRING BELLOWS WITH SHARP METAL EDGES OF THE FRACTURED PISTON COULD CAUSE PENETRATION OF THE BELLOWS LEADING TO SUBSEQUENT DEFLATION OF THE AIR SPRING.
The risk
SUDDEN AIR SPRING DEFLATION WILL CAUSE LOSS OF PROPER SUSPENSION RIDE HEIGHT AND PRODUCE DIFFICULTY WITH STEERING VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REMOVE AND REPLACE EXISTING FRONT AIR SPRINGS, AND AIR SPRING ADAPTOR MOUNTING PLATES WITH RE-DESIGNED FULL SUPPORT PLATES. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT COUNTRY COACH AT 1-800-547-8015.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Country Coach Beauport | 2003 |
| Country Coach Bonaventure | 2001, 2002, 2003 |
| Country Coach Cartier | 2000 |
| Country Coach Grande Center | 2001, 2002 |
| Country Coach Kensington | 2000, 2001 |
| Country Coach Markham | 2001 |
| Country Coach RED Deer | 2001 |
| Country Coach St. Albert | 2002, 2003 |
| Country Coach Stratford | 2001, 2002 |
Components: SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country Coach Beauport | 2003 | 0 | 1 |
| Country Coach Bonaventure | 2001 | 0 | 1 |
| Country Coach Bonaventure | 2002 | 0 | 1 |
| Country Coach Bonaventure | 2003 | 0 | 1 |
| Country Coach Cartier | 2000 | 0 | 2 |
| Country Coach Grande Center | 2001 | 0 | 1 |
| Country Coach Grande Center | 2002 | 0 | 1 |
| Country Coach Kensington | 2000 | 0 | 2 |
| Country Coach Kensington | 2001 | 0 | 2 |
| Country Coach Markham | 2001 | 0 | 1 |
| Country Coach RED Deer | 2001 | 0 | 1 |
| Country Coach St. Albert | 2002 | 0 | 1 |
| Country Coach St. Albert | 2003 | 0 | 1 |
| Country Coach Stratford | 2001 | 1 | 1 |
| Country Coach Stratford | 2002 | 0 | 1 |
Other suspension recalls in 2002
21 of the 434 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2002 concerned the suspension; COUNTRY COACH INC filed 64 campaigns in all.
| 02V341000 20 Dec 2002 | HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY |
| 02V332000 12 Dec 2002 | NORTH AMERICAN BUS INDUSTRIES |
| 02V320000 2 Dec 2002 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 02V317000 25 Nov 2002 | VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC |
| 02V299000 12 Nov 2002 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 02V219000 12 Aug 2002 | COUNTRY COACH INC |
| 02V209000 1 Aug 2002 | ELECTRIC TRANSIT, INC. |
| 02V202000 26 Jul 2002 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2002