The defect
UTILITY MANUFACTURING COMPANY (UTILITY) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 UTILITY VS1DC AND VS2DX DRY VANS MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 2010 THROUGH AUGUST 2011, AND EQUIPPED WITH AN OPTIONAL LIFTGATE BATTERY BOX. THE MOUNTING PLATES USED FOR MOUNTING SINGLE OR DOUBLE BATTERY BOXES ON TRAILERS MAY BE THE INCORRECT SIZE AND SOME MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN MISORIENTED DURING INSTALLATION.
The risk
BATTERY BOXES MOUNTED WITH THE INCORRECT SIZE OR IMPROPERLY ORIENTED MOUNTING PLATES CAN BECOME DETACHED FROM THE TRAILER, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
UTILITY WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MOUNTING PLATES AND REPLACE THEM AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION HAS ALREADY BEGUN. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UTILITY TRAILER MANUFACTURING COMPANY AT 1-626-854-7215.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Utility VS1DC | 2011, 2012 |
| Utility Trailer VS2DX | 2011, 2012 |
Components: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
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 VS1DC | 2011 | 0 | 1 |
| Utility VS1DC | 2012 | 1 | 1 |
| Utility Trailer VS2DX | 2011 | 0 | 2 |
| Utility Trailer VS2DX | 2012 | 0 | 2 |
Other latches/locks/linkages recalls in 2012
8 of the 583 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2012 concerned the latches/locks/linkages; UTILITY TRAILER MANUFACTURING COMPANY filed 7 campaigns in all.
| 12V594000 19 Dec 2012 | General Motors LLC |
| 12V533000 6 Nov 2012 | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. |
| 12V504000 17 Oct 2012 | BMW of North America, LLC |
| 12V338000 19 Jul 2012 | HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.) |
| 12V045000 7 Feb 2012 | MORGAN OLSON CORPORATION |
| 12V021000 19 Jan 2012 | MORGAN OLSON CORPORATION |
| 11V606000 3 Jan 2012 | UTILIMASTER CORPORATION |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2012