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NHTSA campaign 18V172000

2007–2013 KME Predator Aerial and 4 other KME models: suspension recall

A wheel separation from the vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.

high 12 vehicles affected 75% reported repaired

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
Problem Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. (KME) is recalling certain 2007-2012 KME Predator Pumper, 2013 Predator SS Aerial, 2007 Predator Aerial, 2008-2011 Predator Rescue, and 2007 Predator Tanker vehicles, equipped with Timoney Independent Front Suspensions. Inconsistent machining may result in fatigue cracks developing over time in the front axle spindles, causing failure of the spindle and the possible separation of a front wheel from the vehicle. Risk A wheel separation from the vehicle can increase the risk of a crash. Fix KME will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle spindle, free of charge. The recall began on May 2, 2018. Owners may contact KME customer service at 1-800-235-3928.

Reported to NHTSA Mar 14, 2018 by Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp, owners notified May 2, 2018.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 18V172000

Vehicles built Sep 15, 2006 to Sep 15, 2006 — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.

Model yearOn WhichTrim
2007 KME Predator Aerial
2007 KME Predator Pumper
2008 KME Predator Pumper
2009 KME Predator Pumper
2010 KME Predator Pumper
2011 KME Predator Pumper
2012 KME Predator Pumper
2008 KME Predator Rescue
2009 KME Predator Rescue
2010 KME Predator Rescue
2011 KME Predator Rescue
2013 KME Predator SS Aerial
2007 KME Predator Tanker

None of the vehicles this campaign names has a page on WhichTrim: every model year it names is older than the catalogue, which begins at 2016. The campaign record above is complete as filed, and whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by its VIN. Other campaigns on vehicles without a page here →

How much of it has been fixed

Source: manufacturer quarterly report, 49 CFR 573.7
Reported repaired 75%

of the campaign

The final figure: the six quarters of reporting that 49 cfr 573.7 requires have closed.

This is the manufacturer's own cumulative count of vehicles it has inspected and repaired, divided by the vehicles the campaign covers. It files that count with NHTSA every quarter for six consecutive quarters, starting from the quarter in which owners were told a remedy was ready, and then the obligation ends — so a figure on an older campaign is where the count stopped, not where it stands today.

It rarely reaches 100%, and not because the work was not done. The same report asks manufacturers to count vehicles they could not reach at all — exported, stolen, scrapped, or simply never located — and those stay in the denominator. A low number means a lot of these vehicles are still out there unrepaired; it does not tell you which ones.

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Filed documents

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. NHTSA checks a VIN against the manufacturer's own list and tells you whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →

Campaign 18V172000

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Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Does this recall repair cost anything?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.

How do I know whether my vehicle is included?

By VIN, not by model year. This campaign covers vehicles built Sep 15, 2006 to Sep 15, 2006. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.

What if the repair is not available yet?

It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.

What did the manufacturer say was wrong?

The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.

Who started this recall?

NHTSA's record credits the manufacturer. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.