The problem
Vehicle description: platform trailers equipped with king pins marked with cha, chn, & chp and supplied to fontaine by tefaco. The king pin separates as soon as the trailer is applied, allowing the trailer to separate from the tow vehicle.
The risk
If a trailer separates from the towing vehicle, a crash or property damage could occur.
The fix
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE KING PINS.
Contacts
Owner notification began during july 1998. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact fontaine trailer at 1-800-821-6535, or tefaco at 1-732-651-7166. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (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 Fontaine dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 98V159000.
- 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.