Recall 85V163000
Trailer Hitches — Theurer · reported 9 Dec 1985 · 162 vehicles potentially affected
What's wrong
TWO WELDS CONNECTING THE PINTLE HOOK CROSSMEMBER ASSEMBLY TO THE TRAILERS SUSPENSION SUBFRAME HAVE BEEN OMITTED. THIS CAUSES CRACKS TO FORM ON CROSSMEMBER WHEN TOWING ANOTHER TRAILER. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THESE FATIGUE CRACKS WILL RAPIDLY DEVELOP IN THE PINTLE HOOK CROSSMEMBER AND CONTINUE TO GROW UNTIL THE CROSSMEMBER SEPARATES FROM THE TRAILER'S SUSPENSION SUBFRAME. A SEPARATED TOWED VEHICLE WOULD BE OUT OF CONTROL UNTIL ITS EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM BRINGS IT TO A STOP. HOWEVER, AN ACCIDENT MAY OCCUR DURING THE TIME IT IS OUT OF CONTROL.
The fix
ADD ANY MISSING WELDS AND APPLY REINFORCEMENT GUSSETS. REPAIR AND/OR REPLACE ANY CRACKED PINTLE HOOK CROSSMEMBERS.
SYSTEM:SUSPENSION/CROSSMEMBER ASSEMBLY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION:28 FOOT LONG, SINGLE AXLE VAN TRAILERS EQUIPPED TO TOWANOTHER TRAILER.
Vehicles covered by this recall
Whether a particular car is affected and still unrepaired depends on its VIN — a model year being listed does not mean every car of that year is included. Check any VIN free on CarLogs, or at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is this car's recall fixed?
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer, for the life of the vehicle. A CarLogs report shows the recall status for a specific VIN as reported by the manufacturer — whether it's open or repaired, and whether the fix is available yet.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall database. Look up another campaign →