Featherlite, Inc.: Trailer Hitches
Featherlite, Inc. reported this defect to federal regulators on Dec 5, 2000 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 90. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH DOTSCO COUPLERS AND SAFETY CHAIN/FASTENER ASSEMBLIES. THE COUPLER LOCKING PIN THAT ENSURES THAT THE COUPLER REMAINS LOCKED CAN BE MISPLACED AND NOT INSTALLED BY THE OPERATOR. THE COUPLER LOCKING PIN ALSO HAD A SAFETY PIN, WHICH COULD BE MISPLACED OR COME LOOSE AND FALL OUT.
The risk
SHOULD EITHER SITUATION HAPPEN, THE LOCKING MECHANISM OF THE COUPLER CAN MOVE UPWARD THUS ALLOWING THE LOCKING JAWS OF THE COUPLER TO OPEN ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE COUPLER TO RELEASE FROM THE BALL ON THE TOW VEHICLE. THE SAFETY CHAIN ASSEMBLIES MAY ALSO HAVE AN INADEQUATE FASTENER, WHICH COULD ALLOW THE SAFETY CHAIN TO BECOME DETACHED FROM THE TRAILER IN THE EVENT THE TRAILER BECOMES UNCOUPLED, ALLOWING THE SAFETY CHAIN TO BECOME DETACHED FROM THE TRAILER.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A COUPLER AND SAFETY CHAIN/FASTENER KIT TO THESE TRAILERS.
8 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Featherlite 4950 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 Featherlite 4951 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Featherlite 4950 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Featherlite 4951 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 Featherlite 4950 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 Featherlite 4951 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 Featherlite 4950 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 Featherlite 4951 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 00V408000.
Full record for the 2000 Featherlite 4950 → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →