Utilimaster Corporation: Structure › Body › Hood
Utilimaster Corporation reported this defect to federal regulators on Feb 22, 1997 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 3,132. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, THE FORCE OF THE WIND AGAINST THE HOOD CAN FORCE THE HOOD BEHIND THE BUMPER ALLOWING THE HOOD TO DROP. THIS REDUCES THE TENSION ON THE TWO RUBBER HOLD-DOWNS WHICH THEN BECOME LOOSE.
The risk
IF BOTH TIE DOWNS COME LOOSE, THE HOOD CAN SEPARATE DURING VEHICLE OPERATION LEADING TO A POSSIBLE BROKEN WINDSHIELD AND/OR BLOCKING OF THE DRIVER'S VISION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH..
The remedy
DEALERS WILL ADD A METAL BRACKET AND A SECOND BUMPER ABOVE AND BEHIND THE ORIGINAL BUMPER SO THAT THE HOOD CANNOT BE PUSHED OR SLIP BEHIND THE ORIGINAL (BOTTOM) BUMPER.
2 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Utilimaster Walk-In Van | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 Utilimaster Walk-In Van | 0 | 4 | 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 97V027000.
Full record for the 1997 Utilimaster Walk-In Van → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →