1996 Spartan Low Profile Gladiator

Routine

No owner complaints are on file for this vehicle. It has been recalled 2 times.

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports

Suspension98V286000

Filed Nov 6, 199839 vehiclesSpartan Motors, Inc.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: FIRE TRUCKS. IF THE DRIVER ACCELERATES IN A TURN ABOVE 20 MPH FORWARD SPEED, THE LOCK PIN IS ACTUATED AND CAUSES THE AXLE TO RESIST RETURNING TO THE STRAIGHT AHEAD POSITION AFTER THE TURN IS COMPLETED BECAUSE THE LOCK PIN IS BINDING ON THE CLAMP PLATE SURFACE.

Risk. ENGAGING THE LOCK PIN IN THE LCMP PLATE HOLE AT HIGH FORWARD SPEEDS CAUSES EXCESSIVE WEAR IN THE LOCK PIN AND/OR THE CLAMP PLATE HOLE. LANE CHANGES AND OTHER VEHICLE MANEUVERS WILL GREATLY INCREASE CONTACT FREQUENCY AND CAUSES WEAR, INCREASING THE RISK OF LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TAG AXLES ON THESE FIRE TRUCKS.

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch98V077000

Filed Apr 24, 1998477 vehiclesSpartan Motors, Inc.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: FIRE TRUCKS WITH OCCUPANT SIDE ENTRY DOORS. A DIFFICULTY IN LATCHING THE SIDE ENTRY DOORS TO THE FULL CLOSED POSITION, AND/OR, THE DOORS MAY RELEASE TO THE SECONDARY LATCH POSITION. ALSO LOOSE RIVETS CAN CAUSE THE LATCH CONTROL MECHANISM TO BIND NOT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO LATCH PROPERLY WHEN SHUT.

Risk. THE CAB DOOR COULD UNLATCH FROM ITS PRIMARY LATCH WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, ALLOWING THE DOOR TO OPEN UNASSISTED TO THE SECONDARY LATCH POSITION.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REMOVE AND REPLACE THE LATCH AND ACTUATOR ON THE DOORS.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1998

Year	Recalls	Assessment
1998	1	Routine
1997	3	Routine
1996 — this page	2	Routine
1995	1	Routine
1994	1	Routine

Compare every Low Profile Gladiator year →

Other Spartan models

All Spartan models →

K2 12 Highlander 8 K3 7 Mountain Master 4 Motorhome 4 Gladiator 4 EC 2000 4 IC Chassis 3 Chassis 3

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: Nov 6, 1998. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.