The defect
ON CERTAIN DUAL AXLE, REFRIGERATED TRAILERS BUILT WITH AN OPTIONAL PINTLE HOOK ASSEMBLY (PREMIER TYPE) FOR USE IN "SUPER DOUBLES" OPERATIONS, SOME WELDS MAY HAVE BEEN MISSED THAT ATTACH THE REINFORCEMENT CHANNEL TO THE PINTLE HOOK MOUNTING PLATE AT THE REAR SUBFRAME.
The risk
FULL OR PARTIAL SEPARATION OF THE PINTLE HOOK ASSEMBLY FROM ITS MOUNTING COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PINTLE HOOK MOUNTING ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2002 OR JANUARY 2003. 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 UTILITY AT 1-800-423-6591.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Utility VS2R | 2002 |
| Utility VS2RA | 2002 |
Components: TRAILER HITCHES
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility VS2R | 2002 | 0 | 3 |
| Utility VS2RA | 2002 | 0 | 3 |
Other trailer hitches recalls in 2002
14 of the 434 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2002 concerned the trailer hitches; UTILITY TRAILER MFG. CO. filed 14 campaigns in all.
| 02V337000 17 Dec 2002 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 02V334000 3 Dec 2002 | JAYCO, INC. |
| 02V312000 19 Nov 2002 | CARRIAGE, INC. |
| 02V304000 12 Nov 2002 | GREAT DANE TRAILERS, INC. |
| 02V166000 17 Jun 2002 | FEATHERLITE, INC. |
| 02V153000 12 Jun 2002 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 02V158000 12 Jun 2002 | SKYLINE CORPORATION |
| 02V133000 9 May 2002 | PEERLESS |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2002