Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.
November brings another round of recalls from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) including several affecting recreational vehicles, popular tow vehicles and tires. Owners who believe they may be affected by these recalls or other issues may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to Safercar.gov.
Airstream Recalls: Trailer Hitch Failure and Bad Wiring
Trailer hitch recall: Airstream will recall 1,888 2019-2020 Sport, Nest, Flying Cloud, International Serenity, International Signature, Classic, Globetrotter and Tommy Bahama trailers and 2020 Basecamp, Bambi and Caravel trailers. Improper welding on the Demco ball coupler may cause it not to provide enough clamping force on the tow ball, possibly causing the coupler and tow ball to separate. Airstream will send owners a temporary adaptor that slips over the tow ball portion that will allow owners to tow their trailers. The final remedy will require dealers to add a shim plate to the backside of the ball coupler, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2019. Airstream customer service: 1-877-596-6505 or 1-937-596-6111 ext. 7401 or 7411. Atlas wiring recall: Airstream will recall 151 2019-2020 Atlas motorhomes on which he SH1 Breaker Terminal may be wired incorrectly, causing some of the 12V circuits to have insufficient overcurrent protection, fusing wires and increasing the risk of fire. Dealers will correct the wiring, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 14, 2019. Airstream customer service at 1-877-596-6505 or 1-937-596-6111, ext. 7401 or 7411.
Forest River Recalls: LP Hose, Refrigerator Fuse Pose Fire Risks, Bunks Fall
LP Gas Line Recall 67A-1107: 41 2020 EVO, Salem and Wildwood travel trailers may have trailer cooktops which were installed with a rubber liquid propane (LP) gas line instead of a copper one. The hose may melt, allowing LP gas to enter the RV and creating a risk of fire. Dealers will replace the rubber LP gas line with a copper gas line, free of charge. Forest River customer service: 1-909-873-3777. Wrong Refrigerator Fuse Recall 37-1108: 19 2020 Surveyor trailers, model SVT33KFKDS, have been recalled due to the installation of a fuse of the incorrect amperage for the 12V refrigerator, potentially allowing the wiring to overheat, creating an electrical short and risk of fire. Dealers will replace the incorrect fuse with the correct one, free of charge. Forest River customer service: 1-260-499-2100. Falling Bunks Recall 500-1112: 27 2020 East to West Delta Terra (model 312BH) and East to West Silver Lake (model 31KBH) recreational trailers may have overhead bunk fasteners not be properly secured to the backer board of the bunk, causing the bunks to potentially fall. Dealers will properly secure the bunk to the backer, free of charge. Forest River customer service: 1-574-264-6664. Suspension Stabilizer Recall 55-1105: Forest River recalls 14 2017 Dynamax DX3 and Force motorhomes. The front axle stabilizer bracket may not be properly mounted to the axle, and may break causing a sudden loss of vehicle control. Detroit Diesel dealers will inspect the stabilizer brackets and I-beams and install spacers and replacement stabilizer brackets, as necessary, free of charge. Contact Forest River customer service at 1-800-348-7440 or find a Detroit Diesel location at www.detroitdiesel.com/. Seatbelt Telltale Recall 51-1084: 6 2020 Sunseeker SSC2250SLEC, Freelander FLC26RSC, and Leprechaun LPC240FSC vehicles may have seatbelt-unfastened warning lights that don’t illuminate for approximately five seconds after the ignition is turned on. GM dealers will reprogram the instrument panel, free of charge. Contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Forest River customer service at 1-800-348-7440.
Keystone Recalls: Cooktop Fire Hazards
Inverted Cooktop Flames Recall 19-362: 157 2019-2020 Crossroads Sunset trailers, model 242BH, may have an interior range cooktop installed in a cabinet not be entirely sealed from the furnace cavity. During furnace operation, the interior range cooktop burner flame may invert, causing injuries and fire. Dealers will inspect the interior range cooktop with the furnace running, sealing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 16, 2019. Keystone customer service: 1-866-425-4369. Melting LP Hose Recall 19-363: 5 2020 Dutchmen Atlas 3382BH trailers may have a non-metallic propane supply hose installed inside the burner box of the cooktop, instead of a copper supply hose. Heat from the burner may cause the hose to melt and leak propane. Dealers will replace the non-metallic line with a copper propane gas line, free of charge. Keystone customer service: 1-866-425-4369.
Prevost Recall: Dash Brightness Hazard
Missing Potentiometer Recall SR19-42: Prevost will recall 110 2020 X3-45 VIP, X3-45 VIP Entertainer, X3-45 Passenger, H3-45 VIP, and H3-45 Passenger coaches may be missing a potentiometer, which allows the driver to adjust the brightness of the dash illumination for the controls and indicators, allowing only the highest level of brightness and reducing a driver’s ability to see at night. Dealers will install the missing potentiometer component and add the required wiring to adjust the brightness of the dash's illumination, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 13, 2019. Prevost customer service: 1-866-870-2046.
Starcraft RV Recall: Risk of Scalding
Atwood Water Heater Recall: 5 2016 Solstice Travel Star fifth wheel trailers equipped with Atwood on-demand water heaters may overheat the water in the hot water tap, resulting in the release of steam and possibly causing scalds and burns. Atwood dealers will install a water flow adjustment stop key that prevents the condition from occurring, free of charge. Starcraft customer service: 1-800-945-4787 or Atwood customer service: 1-877-546-9074.
Thor (TMC) Recalls: Instrument Panel Malfunction
Seatbelt Telltale Recall RC000177: 378 2019-2020 Chateau 22B, 22E, 23U, 24F, 25V, and 28A, Daybreak 22GO, Four Winds 22B, 22E, 24F, 26B and 28A, Freedom Elite 22HE and 2020 Quantum GR22, and SE22 motorhomes in which the seatbelt-unfastened warning light does not illuminate for approximately five seconds after the ignition is moved to the "on" or "start" position. This increases the risk that the driver may forget to fasten the seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash. Dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster, free of charge. Contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or TMC customer service at 1-877-855-2867.
Voyager Recalls: Wheels May Fall Off Axle
Retainer Clip Recall: 1,062 2018-2020 Yetti Fish House Angler, Grand Excape, and Traxx trailers that may be missing retainer clips at the spindle nut, potentially causing the spindle nut and the wheel to loosen and fall off. Dealers will install retainer clips at the spindle nut, free of charge. Voyager Industries customer service: 1-800-834-4940.
Recalls Affecting Tow Vehicles
Ford Recall: F-150 Battery Terminals May Cause Fire
Battery Cable Recall 19S40: 135,725 2019-2020 F-150 pickups may have excess sealant adhesive on the battery cable. This can cause the fastener securing the Power Distribution Box 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System eyelets to the positive battery terminal to loosen and affect the vehicle's systems including instrument panel displays and braking or steering assist or cause the engine to stall. It can also cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire. Dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint and remove any excessive sealant adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 25, 2019. Ford customer service: 1-866-436-7332.
Other Recalls of Interest to RVers: Tires
Sumitomo Rubber Industries Recall: Detaching Tire Treads on Falken and Goodyear
Falken and Goodyear Recall: 2,286 Falken ZIEX CT50 A/S tires, size P255/50R20 104V, having date code 1619, Dunlop SP Sport 5000 tires, size 215/45R18 89W, having date code 0919, and Goodyear Eagle LS2 tires size P215/50R17 90V, having date code 0619 have been recalled due to an incorrect rubber compound used in manufacturing, which may allow sections near the tread surface to become partially detached, decreasing vehicle stability. Dealers will replace the tires, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 6, 2019. Sumitomo customer service: 1-800-845-8378.