The problem
Certain mbii and mbiv school and commercial buses built on ford e-350 & e-450, gm 3500 chassis, manufactured between june 1, 1999, and december 31, 2003, and equipped with sure-lok wheelchair tie-down securement assemblies p/n 8625-13. The sprocket teeth of the retractor assembly may be out of alignment causing the load pawl not to fully seat in the sprocket teeth.
The risk
In the event of a vehicle crash, the wheelchair may not be adequately secured possibly resulting in injuries.
The fix
Sure-lok will notify girardin's customers and replace the defective part free of charge. The recall began august 16, 2004. 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 sure-lok at 1-908-231-1804.
Contacts
Also, customers can 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 Girardin dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 04V433000.
- 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.