The defect
SPARTAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008, 2010, AND 2011 GLADIATOR, AS WELL AS MODEL YEAR 2010 METROSTAR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 4, 2009 THROUGH FEBRUARY 22, 2011, AND EQUIPPED WITH GUNITE AUTOMATIC SLACK ADJUSTERS. DUE TO AN INCOMPLETE "KNITTING" OF THE IRON AT THE TIME OF CASTING, INADEQUATE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SLACK ADJUSTER HOUSING CAN OCCUR, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE HOUSING TO BREAK AT THE HANDLE UNDER NORMAL OPERATING LOADS.
The risk
SLACK ADJUSTERS WITH THIS FLOW NOTCH COULD CRACK UNDER NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy
SPARTAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT SLACK ADJUSTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN DURING MARCH 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SPARTAN CHASSIS AT 1-800-543-5008, OPTION 5.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Spartan Gladiator | 2008, 2010, 2011 |
| Spartan Metrostar | 2010 |
Components: SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SLACK ADJUSTERS:AUTOMATIC
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spartan Gladiator | 2008 | 0 | 21 |
| Spartan Gladiator | 2010 | 0 | 29 |
| Spartan Gladiator | 2011 | 0 | 26 |
| Spartan Metrostar | 2010 | 0 | 19 |
Other service brakes, air recalls in 2011
28 of the 597 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2011 concerned the service brakes, air; SPARTAN CHASSIS, INC. filed 50 campaigns in all.
| 11V601000 28 Dec 2011 | ROSA TRAILER MFG |
| 11V587000 6 Dec 2011 | SPARTAN CHASSIS, INC. |
| 11V555000 10 Nov 2011 | MERTZ MANUFACTURING, LLC |
| 11V512000 13 Oct 2011 | GREAT LAKES MANUFACTURING INC. |
| 11V488000 3 Oct 2011 | TRANSCRAFT CORPORATION |
| 11V481000 22 Sept 2011 | WILSON TRAILER COMPANY |
| 11V479000 16 Sept 2011 | SILVER EAGLE MANUFACTURING |
| 11V412000 11 Aug 2011 | Spartan Motors, Inc. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2011