The problem
Spartan Motors USA (Spartan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Specialty Vehicle school bus chassis manufactured from March 19, 2015, through November 9, 2015. The metal connecting clip that connects the hand operated parking brake actuator cable to the intermediate parking brake cable may fail.
The risk
If the parking brake cable connection fails, the vehicle may unexpectedly roll, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
The fix
Spartan will notify owners, and dealers will install new clips, free of charge. The parts are currently not available and all owners are advised to chock their wheels until the parts become available. The recall began on March 25, 2016. Owners may contact Spartan customer service at 1-800-543-4277. Spartan's number for this recall is 16005.
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 16V134000.
- 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.