The defect
Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. (KME) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Predator Aerial, and 2014-2017 Predator SS Aerial vehicles. A software error may cause the aerial ladder tip control speed to momentarily switch from 20 percent speed to 100 percent overall speed.
The risk
The ladder speed accelerating without warning can increase the risk of injury to the ladder user or those nearby.
The remedy
KME will notify owners, and dealers will update the ladder speed software, free of charge. The recall began on October 3, 2017. Owners may contact KME customer service at 1-800-235-3926.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| KME Predator Aerial | 2012, 2013, 2014 |
| KME Predator SS Aerial | 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 |
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE | EQUIPMENT
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| KME Predator Aerial | 2012 | 0 | 4 |
| KME Predator Aerial | 2013 | 1 | 5 |
| KME Predator Aerial | 2014 | 1 | 6 |
| KME Predator SS Aerial | 2014 | 0 | 7 |
| KME Predator SS Aerial | 2015 | 0 | 8 |
| KME Predator SS Aerial | 2016 | 0 | 6 |
| KME Predator SS Aerial | 2017 | 0 | 4 |
Other electrical system recalls in 2017
67 of the 810 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2017 concerned the electrical system; Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. filed 48 campaigns in all.
| 17V845000 28 Dec 2017 | Volvo Bus Corporation |
| 17V838000 21 Dec 2017 | Forest River, Inc. |
| 17V829000 19 Dec 2017 | REV Recreation Group |
| 17V830000 19 Dec 2017 | Newmar Corporation |
| 17V825000 19 Dec 2017 | Forest River, Inc. |
| 17V814000 18 Dec 2017 | Ford Motor Company |
| 17V799000 13 Dec 2017 | Forest River, Inc. |
| 17V795000 11 Dec 2017 | Aston Martin The Americas |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2017