The problem
Vehicle description: flatbed trailers. The wrong material specification was furnished for the vertical gussets of the bumper. This would allow the bumper to fail by folding under the trailer at lower impact forces than allowed. These bumpers do not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 223, "Rear impact guards."
The risk
Failure of the rear bumper could allow vehicles involved in front end collision with the rear end of the trailer to run under the rear end of the trailer causing vehicle damage to the trailer/vehicle and could result in bodily injury to vehicle occupants.
The fix
Dealers will add two steel bars to the vertical gussets of the rear bumper.
Contacts
Owner notification began august 28, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact transcraft at 1-800-950-2995, extension 399. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
What to do
- Check your VIN. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls - it shows whether this recall applies to your vehicle and whether the repair has been done.
- Call a dealer. Any authorized Transcraft dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 00V221000.
- Ask about parts and a loaner. If parts aren't available yet, ask what to do in the meantime.
- Keep your paperwork. If you paid for this repair before the recall, you may be able to get reimbursed - here's how.