Specialty Manufacturing Recalls Prolo Roof Hatches Due to Handle Breakage
Specialty Manufacturing is recalling Prolo 24-inch roof hatches because the external handle may break, preventing emergency exit from the vehicle.
What this means for you
Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).
Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.
Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural defect in an emergency exit mechanism that increases the risk of injury during an emergency, but no specific injuries or deaths are reported in the source text.
Plain-English summary
Specialty Manufacturing Co. is recalling certain Prolo 24"x 24" roof hatches. The recall involves 18,550 units. Due to a manufacturing issue, the external handle on these roof hatches may unexpectedly break under reasonable use. This defect causes the vehicles to fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 217, which governs bus emergency exits and window retention and release.
If the external handle breaks, the roof hatch cannot be easily opened from outside the vehicle during an emergency. This increases the risk of injury to occupants who may be unable to escape. The recall is classified under the structure category for emergency escape, egress, and exit.
Specialty will provide vehicle manufacturers with replacement hatch handles free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Specialty customer service at 1-800-951-7867 for more information. Owners may also contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit www.safercar.gov.
The recalled product
- Product
- STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT recall
- Manufacturer
- Specialty Manufacturing Co.
- Category
- Vehicle — Bus Components
- Affected units
- 18,550
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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