The defect
Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. (KME) is recalling certain 2015 Predator SS Tanker and Commercial Pumper built on Freightliner chassis, 2015-2018 Predator SS Pumper and Commercial Pumper built on Navistar chassis, 2016 Predator Panther Aerial and Predator Aerial, 2015-2017 Predator Panther Pumper and 2018 Predator SS Aerial vehicles equipped with Hale pressure relief valves in the water pumps used for fire fighting. Rings securing the valves may corrode over time after exposure to water, causing the ring to fail and the pressure relief valve to open, reducing the water pressure available for fire fighting.
The risk
A reduction in water pressure may hinder fire fighting efforts, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
KME will notify owners, and KME dealers will install a remedy kit, free of charge. The recall began on January 8, 2018. Owners may contact KME customer service at 1-800-235-3926 or Hale customer service at 1-800-533-3569.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| KME Commercial Pumper | 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 |
| KME Predator Aerial | 2016 |
| KME Predator Panther Aerial | 2016 |
| KME Predator Panther Pumper | 2015, 2016, 2017 |
| KME Predator SS Aerial | 2018 |
| KME Predator SS Pumper | 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 |
| KME Predator SS Tanker | 2015 |
Components: 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 Commercial Pumper | 2015 | 0 | 2 |
| KME Commercial Pumper | 2016 | 0 | 2 |
| KME Commercial Pumper | 2017 | 0 | 4 |
| KME Commercial Pumper | 2018 | 0 | 4 |
| KME Predator Aerial | 2016 | 0 | 5 |
| KME Predator Panther Aerial | 2016 | 0 | 3 |
| KME Predator Panther Pumper | 2015 | 0 | 4 |
| KME Predator Panther Pumper | 2016 | 0 | 5 |
| KME Predator Panther Pumper | 2017 | 0 | 5 |
| KME Predator SS Aerial | 2018 | 0 | 5 |
| KME Predator SS Pumper | 2015 | 0 | 8 |
| KME Predator SS Pumper | 2016 | 0 | 9 |
| KME Predator SS Pumper | 2017 | 0 | 6 |
| KME Predator SS Pumper | 2018 | 0 | 7 |
| KME Predator SS Tanker | 2015 | 0 | 1 |
Other equipment recalls in 2017
170 of the 810 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2017 concerned the equipment; Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. filed 48 campaigns in all.
| 17V847000 29 Dec 2017 | ShowHauler Trucks, Inc. |
| 17V844000 27 Dec 2017 | Thor Motor Coach |
| 17V841000 22 Dec 2017 | Tiffin Motorhomes, Inc. |
| 17V824000 21 Dec 2017 | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) |
| 17V835000 21 Dec 2017 | Forest River, Inc. |
| 17V831000 20 Dec 2017 | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 17V827000 19 Dec 2017 | Keystone RV Company |
| 17V828000 18 Dec 2017 | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2017