The defect
Airstream, Inc. (Airstream) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Sport, Nest, Flying Cloud, International Serenity, International Signature, Classic, Globetrotter and Tommy Bahama trailers and 2020 Basecamp, Bambi and Caravel trailers. Due to improper welding, the Demco ball coupler installed on the travel trailers may not provide enough clamping force on the tow ball, potentially causing the coupler to separate from the tow ball.
The risk
If the coupler separates from the tow ball, the trailer can detach from the tow vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Airstream will notify owners, and will send a temporary use adaptor that can be slipped over the ball portion of the coupler to allow owners to tow their trailers. For the final remedy, dealers will add a shim plate to the backside of the ball coupler clamp to put it in position to apply the required clamping force on the tow ball, free of charge. The recall began November 13, 2019. Owners may contact Airstream customer service at 1-877-596-6505 or 1-937-596-6111 extension 7401 or 7411.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Airstream Bambi | 2020 |
| Airstream Basecamp | 2020 |
| Airstream Caravel | 2020 |
| Airstream Classic | 2019, 2020 |
| Airstream Flying Cloud | 2019, 2020 |
| Airstream Globetrotter | 2019, 2020 |
| Airstream International | 2019, 2020 |
| Airstream Nest | 2019, 2020 |
| Airstream Sport | 2019, 2020 |
| Airstream Tommy Bahama | 2019, 2020 |
Components: TRAILER HITCHES
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airstream Bambi | 2020 | 1 | 1 |
| Airstream Basecamp | 2020 | 2 | 4 |
| Airstream Caravel | 2020 | 0 | 1 |
| Airstream Classic | 2019 | 0 | 2 |
| Airstream Classic | 2020 | 0 | 2 |
| Airstream Flying Cloud | 2019 | 1 | 2 |
| Airstream Flying Cloud | 2020 | 1 | 3 |
| Airstream Globetrotter | 2019 | 0 | 2 |
| Airstream Globetrotter | 2020 | 0 | 3 |
| Airstream International | 2019 | 0 | 2 |
| Airstream International | 2020 | 1 | 3 |
| Airstream Nest | 2019 | 1 | 2 |
| Airstream Nest | 2020 | 0 | 2 |
| Airstream Sport | 2019 | 0 | 2 |
| Airstream Sport | 2020 | 0 | 2 |
| Airstream Tommy Bahama | 2019 | 1 | 2 |
| Airstream Tommy Bahama | 2020 | 0 | 2 |
Other trailer hitches recalls in 2019
19 of the 880 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2019 concerned the trailer hitches; Airstream, Inc. filed 54 campaigns in all.
| 19V901000 18 Dec 2019 | MORryde International, Inc. |
| 19V891000 13 Dec 2019 | Forest River, Inc. |
| 19V847000 25 Nov 2019 | The Toro Company |
| 19V844000 25 Nov 2019 | Forest River, Inc. |
| 19V778000 30 Oct 2019 | Temp-Air, Inc |
| 19V760000 24 Oct 2019 | Southern Pride Distributing LLC |
| 19V708000 4 Oct 2019 | Outdoors RV Manufacturing |
| 19V628000 28 Aug 2019 | Jayco, Inc. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2019