- Vehicles
- 604
- Built between
- Jan 1996 – May 1996
- Models
- 4
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 6 May 1996
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between January 1996 and May 1996. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1996 Spartan AlpineBuilt January 1996 to May 1996
- 1996 Spartan BUSBuilt January 1996 to May 1996
- 1996 Spartan HighlanderBuilt January 1996 to May 1996
- 1996 Spartan Mountain MasterBuilt January 1996 to May 1996
What the defect is
The draglinks have been equipped with an anti-tilt seal on the pitman end that can affect the taper fit of the ball stud taper into the pitman arm. The recommended torque on the stud nut does not overcome the compression of the anti-tilt seal.
What could happen
This condition can cause a loosening of the joint and ultimate separation resulting in loss of steering.
What gets fixed
DEALERS WILL REPLACE WASHERS WITH 90 DEGREE FLANGES WITH WASHERS HAVING A 45 DEGREE FLANGE AND SANDWICH THE RUBBER BUSHING IN THE ANTI-TILT SEAL. THE FLANGES ALLOW THE BUSHING TO PROPERLY EXPAND. IF A BODY HAS BEEN COMPLETED ON THE CHASSIS, THE PITMAN ARM WILL ALSO BE REPLACED.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtJanuary 1996 to May 1996
- Recall reported to NHTSA17 May 1996
- Owners notified6 May 1996
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 17 May 1996.
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.
Official source
- Recalling manufacturer
- SPARTAN MOTORS, 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
System: steering; linkages; link; drag. Vehicle description: type a motorhomes with gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWR) from 19,000 to 36,000 lbs. And transit bus chassis or speciality trucks with GVWR from 18,000 to 36,000 lbs. Equipped with trw draglink assembly. Note: owner notification is expected to begin may 10, 1996. Note: 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 spartan at 1-800-722-3025. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
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.