The defect
THE CENTRAL TUBE PART OF THE DRAG LINK, WHICH IS SET IN A ROTATIONAL POSITION, DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE NUT OR BOLT HEAD AND THE AXLE BEAM. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THERE COULD BE INTERFERENCE DURING A RIGHT TURN WHEEL CUT AND MAY CAUSE THE STEERING LINKAGE TO BIND, LEADING TO THE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
The remedy
REPLACE ADJUSTABLE DRAG LINK WITH AN ASSEMBLY ON WHICH ONLY THE FORWARD END IS ADJUSTABLE. ALSO, STAKE REAR END.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Freightliner | 1985, 1986 |
Components: STEERING:LINKAGES:DRAG:LINK:CONNECTION
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 | 1985 | 2 | 5 |
| Freightliner | 1986 | 0 | 4 |
Other steering recalls in 1986
23 of the 173 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1986 concerned the steering; FREIGHTLINER CORP. filed 116 campaigns in all.
| 86V173000 30 Dec 1986 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 86V171000 23 Dec 1986 | FLXIBLE CORPORATION |
| 86V170000 22 Dec 1986 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 86V159000 9 Dec 1986 | CHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 86V157000 25 Nov 1986 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 86V145000 3 Nov 1986 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 86V144000 28 Oct 1986 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 86V138000 20 Oct 1986 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1986