- Vehicles
- 40
- Built between
- Feb 1997 – May 1997
- Models
- 2
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 10 October 1997
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between February 1997 and May 1997. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1997 Western Star ConstellationBuilt February 1997 to May 1997
- 1997 Western Star HeritageBuilt February 1997 to May 1997
What the defect is
Vehicle description: heavy duty 6X4 trucks equipped with either hendrickson rt/rs series suspensions or chalmers 800 series suspensions, with a wheel base greater than 250 inches, and western star's air '96' air brake system without anti-lock brakes. These vehicles do not meet the air brake release time required by FMVSS no. 121, "air brake systems."
What could happen
Air brake release time may be longer than anticipated by the operator increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
What gets fixed
DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN IN-LINE QUICK RELEASE VALVE IN EACH OF THE DROP LINES TO THE REAR MOST BRAKE CHAMBERS.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtFebruary 1997 to May 1997
- Recall reported to NHTSA14 September 1997
- Owners notified10 October 1997
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 September 1997.
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
- WESTERN STAR TRUCKS, INC.
- Safety standard
- FMVSS 121
- 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
Owner notification is expected to begin october 10, 1997.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 western star at 1-250-860-3319. 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.