2020 Spartan Gladiator

Routine

Owners filed 1 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the visibility/wiper. It has been recalled 7 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Visibility/Wiper1
000

7 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Equipment21V436000
Filed Jun 9, 20211 vehiclesFour Guys Stainless Tank & Equip., Inc.

Defect. Four Guys Stainless Tank & Equip., Inc. (Four Guys) is recalling one 2020 Pumper firetruck equipped with an Akron Bass battery-powered 3600 wireless remote controller. The wireless remote controller's sleep mode is disabled, and results in the batteries discharging faster than normal.

Risk. Inability to use the wireless remote controller can hinder firefighting efforts, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy. Four Guys will request owners return the affected wireless remote controllers to Akron Brass for a software update, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for recall notification. Owners may contact Four Guys customer service at 1-814-634-8373.

Parking Brake20V203000
Filed Apr 8, 20209 vehiclesMarion Body Works Inc.

Defect. Marion Body Works Inc. (Marion Body Works) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Spartan Gladiator and MetroStar Emergency Response chassis vehicles modified by Marion Body Works. The park brake control line may loosen and possibly come out the fitting while the vehicle is in motion.

Risk. If the air line comes out of the fitting while the vehicle is in motion, the park brake can inadvertently be applied and the vehicle could suddenly decelerate, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Marion Body Works dealers will inspect and properly tighten the park brake control line, free of charge. All of the vehicles will be repaired before being delivered to customers, free of charge. Owners may contact Marion Body Works customer service at 1-715-754-5261.

Parking Brake20V163000
Filed Mar 20, 20204 vehiclesSvi Trucks

Defect. SVI Trucks is recalling certain 2019-2020 Spartan Fire Gladiator and MetroStar Emergency Response vehicles modified by SVI Trucks. The park brake control line may loosen and possibly come out the fitting while the vehicle is in motion. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, "Air Brake Systems."

Risk. If the air line comes out of the fitting while the vehicle is in motion, the park brake can inadvertently be applied and the vehicle could suddenly decelerate, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. SVI dealers will inspect and properly tighten the park brake control line, free of charge. All of the vehicles will be repaired before being delivered to customers, free of charge. Owners may contact SVI dealers customer service at 1-888-784-1112. SVI Truck's number for this recall is 20V138.

Parking Brake › Conventional › Air20V138000
Filed Mar 10, 202086 vehiclesSpartan Fire, Llc

Defect. Spartan Motors USA (Spartan) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Fire Gladiator and MetroStar Emergency vehicles. The park brake control line may loosen and separate, possibly causing the park brake to be unintentionally applied.

Risk. If the park brake is applied while the vehicle is in motion, the vehicle may suddenly decelerate and experience a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Spartan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the fitting control line, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 26, 2020. Owners may contact Spartan customer service at 1-800-543-5008. Spartan's number for this recall is 20005.

Service Brakes, Air › Supply › Reservoir/Tank19V828000
Filed Nov 19, 201994 vehiclesMarion Body Works Inc.

Defect. Marion Body Works Inc. (Marion Body Works) is recalling certain 2005-2020 Emergency Response Gladiator and Metrostar vehicles equipped with pneumatically-controlled automatic tire chain systems. The air pressure control lines may not be pressure-protected.

Risk. Without the control line being pressure-protected, in the event the control line is severed, air may suddenly be lost from the service reservoir system, causing the brakes to apply unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Marion Body Works will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the routing of the control lines, rerouting them into the auxiliary air reservoir as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 22, 2019. Owners may contact Marion Body Works customer service at 1-715-754-5261 or Spartan customer service at 1-800-543-5008.

Service Brakes, Air › Supply › Reservoir/Tank19V674000
Filed Sep 23, 20191,746 vehiclesSpartan Motors Usa

Defect. Spartan Motors USA (Spartan) is recalling certain 2004-2020 Emergency Response Gladiator and Spartan vehicles equipped with a pneumatically-controlled automatic tire chain system. The air pressure control lines may not be pressure-protected. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, "Air Brake Systems."

Risk. Without the control line being pressure-protected, in the event the control line is severed, air may suddenly be lost from the service reservoir system, causing the brakes to apply unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Spartan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the routing of the control lines, rerouting them into the auxiliary air reservoir as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 4, 2019. Owners may contact Spartan customer service at 1-800-543-5008. Spartan's number for this recall is 19017.

Suspension › Front19V523000
Filed Jul 12, 2019234 vehiclesSpartan Motors Usa

Defect. Spartan Motors USA (Spartan) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Emergency Response Gladiator and MetroStar vehicles equipped with an independent front suspension and Koni shocks. The front shocks may separate from their upper mount on the front suspension. The loose shock may contact and damage the steering gear housing, possibly causing a steering fluid leak and a loss of power steering assist.

Risk. A loss of power steering assist increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Spartan will notify owners, and dealers will install new shock bolts, and shims if necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Spartan customer service at 1-800-543-5008. Spartan's number for this recall is 19015.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Visibility/Wiper
Filed Jun 19, 20204,537 milesCO

THE WIPER MOTOR ON A NEW FIRE APPARATUS FAILS DURING USE. THE WIPER MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES IN SIX MONTHS. LOCAL DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ENTIRE WIPER AND LINKAGE ONCE. THE SPARTAN GLADIATOR CHASSIS WAS PLACED IN SERVICE 11/2019 AND THE FIRST FAILURE WAS 2/6/20. THE MOTOR WAS REPLACED. THE NEXT FAILURE WAS 2/28/20. THE MOTOR WAS REPLACED AGAIN. ON 4/1 THE TRUCK WENT TO THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER WIPER MOTOR FOR A FAILURE. ON 6/18 THE TRUCK WENT OUT OF SERVICE AGAIN WITH A FAULTY WIPER MOTOR. THE FRONT LINE FIRE APPARATUS WILL BE OUT OF SERVICE FOR NEARLY A WEEK WAITING ON A NEW WIPER MOTOR. THERE IS NO APPARENT FIX FOR THE ISSUE OTHER THAN REPLACING THE WIPER MOTOR AS IT FAILS.

1 of 1 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2014
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
2020 — this page1700Routine
201901400Routine
201801300Routine
201701500Routine
201601400Routine
201502600Routine
201422800Routine
201302900Routine
201202400Routine
201102600Routine
201002900Routine
200902300Routine
200802100Routine
200701600Routine
200601200Routine
20050900Routine
20040800Routine
20030300Routine
20020500Routine
20010400Routine
20000100Routine
19990300Routine
19980400Routine
19970400Routine
19961400Routine
19950400Routine
19940400Routine
19930200Routine
19920300Routine
19910300Routine
19900300Routine

Compare every Gladiator year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jun 9, 2021. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.