The problem
Spartan Motors Chassis, Inc. (Spartan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Gladiator and MetroStar emergency vehicles manufactured February 18, 2013, to August 5, 2014. The seats in the affected vehicles have seats belts that may be too long to fit smaller occupants. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk
If the seat belt does not properly fit the seat occupant, the seat occupant has an increased risk of being injured in the event of a crash.
The fix
Spartan has notified owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt buckle, with a shorter belt buckle, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2014. Owners may contact Spartan customer service at 1-517-543-6400. Spartan's number for this recall is 14019.
Contacts
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
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 Spartan dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 14V630000.
- 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.