The defect
THE LOW PRESSURE POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE CAN EITHER BURST OR BECOME DISCONNECTED DUE TO INCREASED FLUID VISCOSITY IN FRIGID TEMPERATURES.
The risk
IF THE LOW PRESSURE RETURN HOSE BURSTS OR SEPARATES, THERE WOULD BE A LOSS OF POWER ASSIST TO THE STEERING AND A REDUCTION IN POWER ASSIST TO THE BRAKES ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRAULIC BRAKES.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE RETURN HOSES WITH A HOSE THAT CAN TOLERATE HIGHER PRESSURES, USE IMPROVED CLAMPS AND A POWER STEERING FLUID THAT IS LESS VISCOUS IN FRIGID TEMPERATURES.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Amtran RC | 1995, 1996, 1997 |
| Amtran RE | 1995, 1996, 1997 |
| Amtran RS | 1995, 1996, 1997 |
Components: STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amtran RC | 1995 | 0 | 1 |
| Amtran RC | 1996 | 0 | 1 |
| Amtran RC | 1997 | 0 | 1 |
| Amtran RE | 1995 | 0 | 3 |
| Amtran RE | 1996 | 2 | 6 |
| Amtran RE | 1997 | 0 | 6 |
| Amtran RS | 1995 | 0 | 1 |
| Amtran RS | 1996 | 0 | 1 |
| Amtran RS | 1997 | 0 | 1 |
Other steering recalls in 1997
14 of the 268 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1997 concerned the steering; AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION CORP. filed 44 campaigns in all.
| 97V191000 1 Nov 1997 | MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED |
| 97V181000 20 Oct 1997 | MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED |
| 97V177000 20 Oct 1997 | THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. |
| 97V169000 7 Oct 1997 | CHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 97V165000 30 Sept 1997 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 97V154000 12 Sept 1997 | THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. |
| 97V138000 29 Aug 1997 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 97V142000 29 Aug 1997 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1997