The defect
ON CERTAIN FIRE TRUCKS BUILT ON EAGLE, METROPOLITAN, AND FREIGHTLINER M2 HEAVY DUTY CLASS 8 CHASSIS, THE COMPARTMENT DOOR OPENING HARDWARE MAY FAIL DUE TO FORCES GENERATED WHEN SLAMMING THE DOOR. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO WAY TO OPEN THE COMPARTMENT DOOR WITHOUT DISMANTLING THE HANDLE ASSEMBLY OR IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION FORCEFULLY OPENING THE DOOR USING A PRY BAR OR FIREMAN'S AXE.
The risk
THE COMPARTMENT DOOR CARRIES MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT. DELAYED ACCESS TO THE EQUIPMENT DUE TO AN INOPERATIVE COMPARTMENT DOOR HANDLE COULD MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE COMPARTMENT DOOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 20, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AMERICAN LAFRANCE AT 1-843-746-7542.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| American Lafrance Pumper | 2005, 2006 |
| American Lafrance Tanker | 2005, 2006 |
Components: STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Lafrance Pumper | 2005 | 0 | 1 |
| American Lafrance Pumper | 2006 | 0 | 1 |
| American Lafrance Tanker | 2005 | 0 | 1 |
| American Lafrance Tanker | 2006 | 0 | 1 |
Other structure recalls in 2006
25 of the 490 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2006 concerned the structure; AMERICAN LAFRANCE LLC filed 7 campaigns in all.
| 06V489000 21 Dec 2006 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK & ENGINE CORPORATION |
| 06V483000 15 Dec 2006 | HINO MOTORS SALES U.S.A., INC. |
| 06V468000 4 Dec 2006 | THOR CALIFORNIA INC. |
| 06V466000 4 Dec 2006 | THOR CALIFORNIA INC. |
| 06V433000 15 Nov 2006 | EARTHROAMER, LLC |
| 06V431000 15 Nov 2006 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 06V415000 27 Oct 2006 | ELGIN SWEEPER COMPANY |
| 06V406000 25 Oct 2006 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK & ENGINE CORPORATION |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2006