Daimler Trucks North America: Trailer Hitches › Fifth Wheel Assembly
Daimler Trucks North America reported this defect to federal regulators on May 18, 2011 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 2,342. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
DTNA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 BUSINESS CLASS M2, AND CORONADO, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 CASCADIA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FONTAINE ULTRA LT FIFTH WHEELS AND MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 7, 2010, THROUGH MARCH 7, 2011. DURING THE COUPLING PROCESS ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH PRE-MODIFICATION FONTAINE ULTRA LT FIFTH WHEELS, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE DRIVER TO PARTIALLY CLOSE THE FIFTH WHEEL LOCK, AND IF RELYING ON A TUG TEST (PULL TEST), AND NOT PERFORMING THE REQUIRED VISUAL INSPECTION, THINK THAT THE FIFTH WHEEL LOCK IS PROPERLY COUPLED TO THE TRAILER KING PIN, WHEN IN FACT, IT IS NOT.
The risk
IF THE TRACTOR IS NOT FULLY CONNECTED TO THE TRAILER, THE TRAILER MAY DISENGAGE WHILE IN USE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
FONTAINE NOTIFIED OWNERS IN FEBRUARY 2011, AND IS HANDLING THE REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. FONTAINE IS IN THE PROCESS OF RETROFITTING ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES, FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FONTAINE AT 1-800-874-9780 OR DTNA AT 1-800-547-0712.
4 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Freightliner Cascadia | 17 | 19 | 3 | 1 |
| 2011 Freightliner Business Class M2 106v | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 Freightliner Cascadia | 12 | 23 | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 Freightliner Coronado | 0 | 18 | 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 11V289000.
Full record for the 2012 Freightliner Cascadia → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →