The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·11V187000·Announced 2011-03-21

Spartan Gladiator and Metrostar Trucks Recalled for Brake Component Defect

Spartan Chassis is recalling certain 2008-2011 Gladiator and 2010 Metrostar trucks because defective brake slack adjusters may crack, causing loss of braking.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect in the braking system that could cause loss of braking and result in a vehicle crash, meeting the criteria for a Severe rating.

Plain-English summary

Spartan Chassis, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2008, 2010, and 2011 Gladiator and model year 2010 Metrostar vehicles. The affected vehicles were manufactured between March 4, 2009, and February 22, 2011, and are equipped with Gunite automatic slack adjusters.

The recall addresses a defect in the slack adjuster housing caused by incomplete "knitting" of the iron during casting. This results in inadequate structural integrity, which could cause the housing to break at the handle under normal operating loads. If the slack adjusters crack under normal braking conditions, it could cause a loss of braking, potentially resulting in a vehicle crash.

Spartan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the subject slack adjusters free of charge. The safety recall began in March 2011. Owners may contact Spartan Chassis at 1-800-543-5008, option 5, or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
SPARTAN GLADIATOR, METROSTAR
Brand
SPARTAN
Affected units
12

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (2)

  • GLADIATOR
  • METROSTAR

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.