Western Star Trucks, Inc.: Trailer Hitches › Fifth Wheel Assembly
Western Star Trucks, Inc. reported this defect to federal regulators on Sep 14, 1997 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 14. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH FONTAINE SL6FM229-8375 FIXED FIFTH WHEELS. THE FIFTH WHEEL MOUNTING PLATE FLANGES IN THE FRONT AND REAR CAN INTERFERE WITH THE NORMAL ARTICULATION OF THE FIFTH WHEEL. THIS INTERFERENCE CAN LEAD TO DAMAGE OF THE FIFTH WHEEL LOCK HANDLE AND/OR THE TOP PLATE.
The risk
DAMAGE OF THESE COMPONENTS CAN LEAD TO FAILURE OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TRACTOR AND THE SEMI-TRAILER ALLOWING THE SEMI-TRAILER TO SEPARATE FROM THE TRACTOR INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FIFTH WHEEL MOUNTING PLATES AND REPAIR ANY DAMAGED FIFTH WHEEL COMPONENTS.
1 model year covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Western Star Heritage | 0 | 2 | 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 97V152000.
Full record for the 1997 Western Star Heritage → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →