- Vehicles
- 16
- Built between
- Dec 2016 – Jun 2017
- Models
- 3
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 10 November 2017
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between December 2016 and June 2017. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 2016-2017 Hometown Trolley MainstreetBuilt December 2016 to June 2017
- 2016-2017 Hometown Trolley StreetcarBuilt December 2016 to June 2017
- 2016-2017 Hometown Trolley VillagerBuilt December 2016 to June 2017
What the defect is
Double K Inc. (Double K) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Hometown Trolley Villager, Mainstreet, and Streetcar trackless trolley buses, equipped with Recaro Commercial Bus Driver Seats, models Ergo R, Ergo D, AM71, AM72 and AM80. In the affected seats, the seat belt buckle may be stuck in the locked position, preventing the seat belt tongue from being able to be inserted and locked. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
What could happen
If the seat belt cannot be latched, the bus may be operated without the seat belt being used, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
What gets fixed
Double K will notify owners, and dealers will replace the buckle housings, free of charge. The recall began on November 10, 2017.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtDecember 2016 to June 2017
- Recall reported to NHTSA20 September 2017
- Owners notified10 November 2017
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 20 September 2017.
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 Recaro customer service at 1-248-364-3818 or Double K customer service at 1-715-478-5090. Double K's number for this recall is 17E035.
Official source
- Manufacturer's recall number
- 17E035
- Recalling manufacturer
- Double K Inc.
- Recall initiated by
- MFR
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.