- Vehicles
- 6,800
- Built between
- Jul 2009 – May 2013
- Models
- 1
- Recall type
- Equipment
- Initiated by
- NHTSA investigation
- Owners notified
- 2 November 2015
- Repaired
- 48%
- Unrepaired
- 3,420
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between July 2009 and May 2013. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- Fontaine Ultra LT Fifth WheelBuilt July 2009 to May 2013
Repair progress
3,420 of 6,800 vehicles in this recall had still not been repaired as of Q3 2017.
48% repaired — 3,294 of 6,800 reported
- Owners not reachable
- 86
Manufacturers file these figures with NHTSA each quarter. Vehicles the manufacturer could not trace, or that have been scrapped or exported, are counted separately and are not included in the unrepaired figure.
What the defect is
Fontaine Fifth Wheel Company (Fontaine) is recalling certain Ultra LT Fifth Wheel connectors, part number SLTPL4000, manufactured July 29, 2009 to May 27, 2013. Over time, improper coupling techniques may result in cumulative damage to the fifth wheel and its locking mechanism, which in turn may result in the locking mechanism failing to operate or to properly engage.
What could happen
If the fifth wheel and locking mechanism are sufficiently damaged, the locking mechanism may fail to operate as intended and the trailer may unexpectedly detach from the tractor, increasing the risk of a crash.
What gets fixed
Fontaine will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fifth wheel with an Ultra NT model fifth wheel, free of charge. The recall began on November 2, 2015.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtJuly 2009 to May 2013
- Recall reported to NHTSA14 August 2015
- Owners notified2 November 2015
- Latest repair reportQ3 2017 — 48% repaired
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 14 August 2015.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Manufacturer contact
Owners may contact Fontaine customer service at 1-844-597-7393 or ultraltrecall@fifthwheel.com.
Official source
- Recalling manufacturer
- Fontaine Fifth Wheel Company
- Recall initiated by
- ODI
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Additional notes
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.
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.