The problem
Certain van chassis with single rear tires fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, "Tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars." The rear tire rating was incorrectly entered in the gawr/gvwr calculation program on certain single rear tires. The rear gawr and gvwr will be incorrect when the gawr is limited by the tire capacity on chassis with these tires.
The risk
This could cause premature tire tread wear or tire failure during normal driving which could cause a crash.
The fix
Dealers will mail new chassis identification labels with the correct gawr, gvwr, and tire information. The recall began on september 12, 2005. Owners may contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
Contacts
Freightliner recall no. Fl-444. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 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 Freightliner dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 05V138000.
- 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.