The problem
On July 20, 2018 Braun Corporation (Braun) filed a recall for certain 2017-2018 BraunAbility Dodge Side Entry Vans with a manual in-floor wheelchair ramp built on Dodge RT minivan chassis. The brake lines may not be connected to the corresponding ports on the hydraulic control unit, causing reduced performance of the electronic stability control (ESC) system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems," and 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems." On August 21, 2018, Braun expanded this recall to include an additional 31,165 vehicles. Included in this update are 2012-2016 BraunAbility Dodge Side Entry Vans and 2012-2018 Chrysler Town and Country Side Entry Vans.
The risk
A reduction of ESC function can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix
Braun will notify owners, and dealers will reroute the right rear brake line to the left wheel, and install a brake line extension to reroute the left rear brake line to the right rear wheel. This repair will be completed free of charge. The recall began on August 17, 2018. Owners may contact Braun customer service at 1-800-488-0359.
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 Braunability dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 18V489000.
- 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.