The defect
THE SAFETY CHAIN BALE PORTION OF THE TOWING ATTACHMENT MAY HAVE A DEFECTIVE WELD IN A CRITICAL AREA. IF THE TRAILER HITCH SHOULD BECOME UNLATCHED OR IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT CAUSING THE TRUCK AND TRAILER TO BECOME SEPARATED, THE RESULTING FORCES COULD CAUSE A FAILURE OF THE SAFETY CHAIN BALE. A FAILURE OF THIS PART WOULD ALLOW COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE TRUCK AND TRAILER WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
The remedy
UPON SEPARATION, THE TRAILER WOULD TRAVEL OUT OF CONTROL UNTIL THE EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM COULD BRING IT TO A STOP. A VEHICLE ACCIDENT COULD RESULT. CORRECTIVE ACTION: THE SAFETY CHAIN BALE WILL BE INSPECTED AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Freightliner | 1981 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freightliner | 1981 | 1 | 9 |
Other trailer hitches recalls in 1981
2 of the 157 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1981 concerned the trailer hitches; FREIGHTLINER CORP. filed 116 campaigns in all.
| 81V051000 13 Apr 1981 | FLEETWOOD ENT., INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1981