The defect
ON CERTAIN TRUCK TRACTORS EQUIPPED WITH JOST INTERNATIONAL JSK 37U SERIES FIFTH WHEELS, A FATIGUE CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE BRACKET PIN WELD UNDER CERTAIN LOADING CONDITIONS.
The risk
IF LEFT UNDETECTED OR CORRECTED IT COULD LEAD TO THE SEPARATION OF THE FIFTH WHEEL TOP PLATE FROM ITS MOUNTING STRUCTURE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRACKET PINS AND REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 12, 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 JOST INTERNATIONAL AT 616-846-7700 OR BY EMAIL TO RECALL@JOSTINTERNATIONAL.COM OR FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Freightliner Argosy | 2000 |
| Freightliner Business Class | 2000 |
| Freightliner Business Class M2 | 2000 |
| Freightliner Century ST | 2000 |
| Freightliner Classic | 2000 |
| Freightliner Classic XL | 2000 |
| Freightliner Columbia | 2000 |
| Freightliner Coronado | 2000 |
| Freightliner FL112 | 2000 |
| Freightliner FLD | 2000 |
| Freightliner FLD SD | 2000 |
| Freightliner Sterling | 2000 |
| Sterling AT9500 | 2000 |
| Western Star 4900FA | 2000 |
Components: TRAILER HITCHES:FIFTH WHEEL ASSEMBLY
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freightliner Argosy | 2000 | 0 | 7 |
| Freightliner Business Class | 2000 | 1 | 9 |
| Freightliner Business Class M2 | 2000 | 0 | 1 |
| Freightliner Century ST | 2000 | 0 | 1 |
| Freightliner Classic | 2000 | 2 | 1 |
| Freightliner Classic XL | 2000 | 0 | 1 |
| Freightliner Columbia | 2000 | 1 | 3 |
| Freightliner Coronado | 2000 | 0 | 1 |
| Freightliner FL112 | 2000 | 0 | 1 |
| Freightliner FLD | 2000 | 1 | 8 |
| Freightliner FLD SD | 2000 | 0 | 1 |
| Freightliner Sterling | 2000 | 0 | 4 |
| Sterling AT9500 | 2000 | 0 | 1 |
| Western Star 4900FA | 2000 | 0 | 1 |
Other trailer hitches recalls in 2003
12 of the 527 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2003 concerned the trailer hitches; FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION filed 151 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 |
| 03V219000 16 Jun 2003 | MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED |
| 03V216000 9 Jun 2003 | GREAT DANE TRAILERS, INC. |
| 03V208000 4 Jun 2003 | WABASH NATIONAL CORP. |
| 03V204000 30 May 2003 | VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2003