The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·24V001000·Announced 2024-01-04

Braun Northwest Recalls 2020-2021 Northstar Ambulances for Electrical Fire Risk

Braun Northwest is recalling 2020-2021 Northstar ambulances because a firmware defect may cause electrical circuits to overheat and increase the risk of fire.

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 (electrical system) that explicitly increases the risk of fire, meeting the criteria for a Severe (4) rating under the rubric for significant injury/property-damage reports or structural defects.

Plain-English summary

Braun Northwest is recalling certain 2020-2021 Northstar ambulances. The recall addresses a defect in the vehicle multiplex system firmware. In the event of a short circuit or wiring failure, the firmware may fail to shut off the output pin, resulting in overloaded electrical circuits.

Overloaded electrical circuits can overheat, which increases the risk of fire. No specific number of affected units is provided in the source text, but the recall covers the 2020 and 2021 model years of the Northstar Ambulance.

Braun Northwest will update the firmware free of charge to correct the issue. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 12, 2024. Owners may contact Braun Northwest customer service at 1-877-344-9990 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
NORTHSTAR AMBULANCE
Brand
NORTHSTAR
Manufacturer
Braun Northwest
Category
Vehicle — Ambulance
Hazard
Affected units
2

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)

  • AMBULANCE

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same brand · NORTHSTAR

Same manufacturer · Braun Northwest

See all →

Same hazard · fire

See all →