The defect
SLOT IN STEERING DRAG LINK TO ALLOW FOR CLAMPING OF THE BALL JOINT MAY NOT BE FULLY CLOSED BY THE BALL JOINT THREAD.
The risk
WATER MAY ENTER THE DRAG LINK AND RESULT IN CORROSIONWHICH LOWERS STRENGTH OF DRAG LINK MAKING IT SUBJECT TO FRACTURE.
The remedy
REPLACE DRAG LINK IF OPENING EXIST; ALSO, THREADED STUD OF BALL JOINT HAS BEEN EXTENDED FOR COMPLETE CLOSURE OF THE SLOT.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz L1013 | 1981, 1982, 1983 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1113 | 1981, 1982, 1983 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1116 | 1981, 1982, 1983 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1316 | 1981, 1982, 1983 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz L1013 | 1981 | 0 | 1 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1013 | 1982 | 0 | 2 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1013 | 1983 | 0 | 1 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1113 | 1981 | 0 | 1 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1113 | 1982 | 0 | 2 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1113 | 1983 | 0 | 1 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1116 | 1981 | 0 | 1 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1116 | 1982 | 0 | 2 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1116 | 1983 | 0 | 1 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1316 | 1981 | 0 | 1 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1316 | 1982 | 0 | 2 |
| Mercedes-Benz L1316 | 1983 | 0 | 1 |
Other steering recalls in 1987
17 of the 197 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1987 concerned the steering; FREIGHTLINER CORP. filed 116 campaigns in all.
| 87V187000 14 Dec 1987 | MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED |
| 87V183000 1 Dec 1987 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 87V179000 23 Nov 1987 | MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED |
| 87V166000 26 Oct 1987 | MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED |
| 87V153000 22 Sept 1987 | CHANCE COACH, INC. |
| 87V126000 10 Aug 1987 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 87V108000 14 Jul 1987 | GRUMMAN FLXIBLE CORP. |
| 87V074000 21 May 1987 | MOTOR COACH IND., INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1987