The defect
ON CERTAIN FLAT BED TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH KINEDYNE WINCHES THAT ATTACH TO THE LOWER FLANGE OF A FLAT BED TRAILER'S SIDE RAIL, THROUGH REPEATED USE OF THE WINCH TO SECURE CARGO ON THE BACK OF A FLAT BED TRAILER, AND BECAUSE OF FORKLIFTS STRIKING THE WINCHES, THE WINCH CLIP CAN BECOME DAMAGED/BENT AND "OPEN UP."
The risk
THIS "OPENING UP" COULD ALLOW THE WINCH TO COME LOOSE FROM THE TRAILER, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WINCH SYSTEM INCLUDING THE WINCH CLIPS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 30, 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 WABASH AT 1-756-771-5300.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Wabash Trailer | 2000 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wabash Trailer | 2000 | 5 | 3 |
Other trailer hitches recalls in 2003
12 of the 527 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2003 concerned the trailer hitches; WABASH NATIONAL CORP. filed 7 campaigns in all.
| 03V440000 4 Nov 2003 | NUWA INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 03V406000 16 Oct 2003 | TRAIL KING |
| 03V330000 3 Sept 2003 | GULF STREAM COACH INC. |
| 03V220000 18 Jun 2003 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK & ENGINE CORPORATION |
| 03V227000 17 Jun 2003 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 03V219000 16 Jun 2003 | MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED |
| 03V216000 9 Jun 2003 | GREAT DANE TRAILERS, INC. |
| 03V204000 30 May 2003 | VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2003