- Vehicles
- 111
- Built between
- Nov 2017 – Aug 2018
- Models
- 15
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 2 November 2018
- Repaired
- 25%
- Unrepaired
- 83
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between November 2017 and August 2018. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 2017-2019 KME Commercial PumperBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2017-2018 KME Commercial RescueBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2017-2019 KME Commercial TankerBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2017-2019 KME Commercial WildlandBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2018-2019 KME Predator AerialBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2018 KME Predator Panther AerialBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2018-2019 KME Predator Panther PumperBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2018 KME Predator Panther TankerBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2018-2019 KME Predator PumperBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2018-2019 KME Predator RescueBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2018 KME Predator SS AerialBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2018-2019 KME Predator SS PumperBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2018 KME Predator SS TDABuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2018-2019 KME Predator TankerBuilt November 2017 to August 2018
- 2018 KME Predator TDABuilt November 2017 to August 2018
Repair progress
83 of 111 vehicles in this recall had still not been repaired as of Q1 2020.
25% repaired — 28 of 111 reported
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
Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. (KME) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Commercial Pumper, Commercial Rescue, Commercial Tanker, Commercial Wildland, 2018-2019 Predator Aerial, Predator Panther Pumper, Predator Pumper, Predator Rescue, Predator SS Pumper, Predator Tanker, 2018 Predator Panther Aerial, Predator Panther Tanker, Predator SS Aerial, Predator SS TDA, and Predator TDA vehicles equipped with Whelen accessory brake lights. Depending on the specific wiring of the vehicle, these brake lights may illuminate when the brake pedal has not been pressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
What could happen
If the brake lights incorrectly illuminate, it can confuse other drivers, possibly increasing the risk of a crash.
What gets fixed
KME will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake lights, free of charge. The recall began November 2, 2018.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtNovember 2017 to August 2018
- Recall reported to NHTSA13 September 2018
- Owners notified2 November 2018
- Latest repair reportQ1 2020 — 25% 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 13 September 2018.
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 KME customer service at 1-800-235-3928.
Official source
- Recalling manufacturer
- Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp.
- Safety standard
- FMVSS 108
- 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.