The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·15V687000·Announced 2015-10-21

Spartan Gladiator Recall for Power Steering Fluid Overheating

Spartan Motors is recalling 2009-2014 Gladiator and MetroStar vehicles because power steering fluid may overheat, causing the steering to lock unexpectedly.

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 (steering lock) that increases the risk of a crash, which aligns with the 'Severe' criteria for significant injury risk or structural defects.

Plain-English summary

Spartan Motors USA is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 ER Gladiator and MetroStar vehicles manufactured between January 5, 2010, and January 19, 2015. The recall involves approximately 2,038 vehicles.

In the affected vehicles, the power steering fluid may overheat and cause the steering to unexpectedly lock during steering maneuvers. If the steering locks, there could be a loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Spartan will notify owners, and dealers will install a cooler to prevent the steering fluid from overheating, free of charge. An interim notice was sent to owners on December 17, 2015, and the recall began on November 7, 2016. Owners may contact Spartan customer service at 1-800-543-4277 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
SPARTAN GLADIATOR
Brand
SPARTAN
Manufacturer
Spartan Motors USA
Affected units
2,038

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 (1)

  • GLADIATOR

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.