The problem
Spartan Motors USA (Spartan) is recalling certain model year 2014 MetroStar emergency vehicles manufactured January 5, 2015, to March 9, 2015, and equipped with a fire pump and a Hale Products K-Gearbox. The K-Gearbox transmission in the affected vehicles may unexpectedly shift to neutral while traveling to or from a fire.
The risk
If the vehicle unexpectedly shifts to neutral on the way to attend a fire, the delay may hinder fire fighting efforts. Additionally, the loss of drive may increase the risk of a crash.
The fix
Spartan will notify owners, and dealers will remove the gearbox, send it to Hale for repairs and then reinstall it once it has been fixed. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on November 3, 2015. Owners may contact Spartan customer service at 1-800-867-6478. Spartan's number for this recall is 15021.
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 15V603000.
- 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.