Nearly 7600 Western Star and International LT trucks recalled

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 7600 Western Star and International tractors have being recalled. The recalls have been made on two separate occasions by both Daimler Trucks North America and Navistar.

Most of the trucks being recalled are those of Daimler Trucks North America. The company is recalling about 7128 trucks model year 2017-2019 Western Star 4700, 4900, 5700, 6900. The cause of the recall is a potential electrical issue. The recalled machines are reported to have a power stud, which passes through the bulkhead. The defect can lead to an electrical arc, if the power stud makes contact with the bulkhead. According to Daimler Trucks North America, if the power stud contacts the bulkhead and causes an electrical arc, the arc can start a fire, which can lead to more serious problems and even injuries.

Daimler Trucks North America will notify the owners of the affected trucks. They will begin notifying everyone owning 2017-2019 Western Star 4700, 4900, 5700, 6900 for the defect, on May 21. Owners of such trucks can contact Daimler Trucks North America’s customer service at 1-800-547-0712 with recall number 766. The recall number for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is 18V-191. Daimler Trucks North America will notify owners and dealers and will inspect the power stud for the proper clearance to the bulkhead. The power stud will be replaced for free if the aforementioned defect is at hand.

Around 527 model year 2018-2019 International LT trucks are also recalled by Navistar. The company announced the recall last week and this is not their first recall either. The cause of the recall of the trucks is a problem with the fender splash panel. When the hood is closed, the fender splash panel could rub on the inlet fuel line fitting to the fuel/water separator. Such defect can cause great damage to the fitting and possibly result in a fuel leak. Of course, a fuel leak in the presence of an ignition can cause a fire, while fuel leakage on the roadway is the main prerequisite for increased risk of crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

According to Navistar, the notifications to all owners and dealers of the defective models are scheduled to be sent out on May 25^th. The company will trim the splash shield to allow proper clearance. The repair will be, of course, free of charge. According to an estimation made by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 100 percent of the involved 527 trucks are affected.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall number for the Navistar defect is 18V-199. Navistar’s recall number is 18503.

Last year, Navistar recalled nearly 2700 trucks for a break issue that could increase the risk of a crash – the defect was in the air dryer mounting bracket, which could fail and lead to a loss of pressure in the air brake system or air system leaks. Among the 2700 recalled trucks were some International LT model manufactured between 2016 and 2018.