The defect
Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company (Utility) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 FS2CHA, VS2DX, VS1DC, VS2RA, and VS1RA trailers manufactured April 14, 2014, to November 4, 2015, equipped with certain Haldex Life Seal Type 30/30 Long Stroke Air Brake Actuators manufactured January 9, 2014, to October 28, 2014. The affected actuators may have an incomplete attachment of the internal rubber diaphragm to the actuation mechanism of the parking brake section of the Life Seal actuator.
The risk
If the diaphragm is not completely attached, there may be internal leakage from the service section past the diaphragm, potentially trapping air pressure in the parking brake section. This air pressure in turn, if not vented, may prevent full release of the actuator unit, and may induce brake drag and may result in overheated wheelend service brakes, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Utility will notify owners and dealers will replace the actuators, free of charge. The recall began on April 9, 2015. Owners may contact Utility customer service at 1-800-423-6591. Utility's number for this recall is 14E075.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Utility FS2CHA | 2014, 2015 |
| Utility VS1DC | 2014, 2015 |
| Utility VS1RA | 2014, 2015 |
| Utility VS2RA | 2014, 2015 |
| Utility Trailer VS2DX | 2014, 2015 |
Components: PARKING BRAKE:DRIVELINE:HYDRAULIC:ACTUATOR
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 FS2CHA | 2014 | 0 | 1 |
| Utility FS2CHA | 2015 | 0 | 1 |
| Utility VS1DC | 2014 | 0 | 2 |
| Utility VS1DC | 2015 | 0 | 1 |
| Utility VS1RA | 2014 | 0 | 2 |
| Utility VS1RA | 2015 | 0 | 2 |
| Utility VS2RA | 2014 | 0 | 2 |
| Utility VS2RA | 2015 | 0 | 3 |
| Utility Trailer VS2DX | 2014 | 0 | 3 |
| Utility Trailer VS2DX | 2015 | 0 | 2 |
Other parking brake recalls in 2015
16 of the 863 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2015 concerned the parking brake; Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company filed 9 campaigns in all.
| 15V742000 10 Nov 2015 | Forest River, Inc. |
| 15V699000 23 Oct 2015 | Thor Motor Coach |
| 15V642000 13 Oct 2015 | Newmar Corporation |
| 15V479000 30 Jul 2015 | Temsa Global Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S. |
| 15V464000 24 Jul 2015 | Ford Motor Company |
| 15V350000 5 Jun 2015 | Nova Bus |
| 15V289000 18 May 2015 | Autocar, LLC |
| 15V202000 6 Apr 2015 | General Motors LLC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2015