RoadVitals

2004 4-Star Trailers Horse Trailer

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
3
Latest Sep 11, 2009
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Aug 31, 2007
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 4-Star Trailers Horse Trailer, most frequently naming the tires & wheels and suspension categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 1 NHTSA investigation names it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Tires & wheels266.7%
  • Suspension133.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
07V396000

EQUIPMENT

Aug 31, 2007
456 units potentially affected
The defect: ON CERTAIN TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH COVERED HAYRACKS, THE FASTENERS SECURING THE HAYRACK TO THE ROOF MOUNTING BRACKET MAY FAIL, ALLOWING THE HAYRACK TO SEPARATE FROM THE TRAILER.
The risk: THIS COULD POSE A SERIOUS HAZARD TO FOLLOWING VEHICLES INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FASTENERS SECURING THE HAYRACK TO THE MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE ROOF OF THE TRAILER. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 1, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT 4-STAR AT 1-800-848-3095.
4-STAR TRAILERS, INCView on NHTSA.gov
06V302000

EQUIPMENT

Aug 9, 2006
110 units potentially affected
The defect: ON CERTAIN HORSE TRAILERS, THE FASTENERS SECURING THE HAYPOD TO THE ROOF MOUNTING BRACKET MAY FAIL.
The risk: THIS ALLOWS THE HAYPOD TO SEPARATE FROM THE TRAILER. THIS COULD POSE A SERIOUS HAZARD TO OTHERS.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FASTENERS SECURING THE HAYPOD TO THE MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE ROOF OF THE TRAILER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 16, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT 4-STAR AT 1-800-848-3095.
4-STAR TRAILERS, INCView on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE05044ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

LOOSE AXLE HARDWARE

Opened Aug 17, 2005
Closed Oct 19, 2005

ODI DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM DURING A SERVICE BULLETIN REVIEW.ON JULY 21, 2005, 4-STAR FORWARDED ODI A COPY OF A SERVICE LETTER RECENTLY SENT TO THEIR DEALERS AND OWNERS ADVISING THEM OF THE IMMEDIATE NEED TO INSPECT AND RETORQUE THE MOUNTING BRACKET BOLTS ON THE AXLE SUSPENSION.A LINE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE BOLTS INSTALLED ON THE AXLE WERE NOT APPROPRIATELY TORQUED. ODI'S INVESTIGATION PROMPTED 4-STAR TO FURTHER EXAMINE THE AXLE CONFIGURATION AND ITS ATTACHING HARWARE.4-STAR HAS NOW CONCLUDED THAT THE SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ERRONEOUS FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: STARTING WITH THE FIRST PRODUCTION TRAILER, A BRACE BAR WAS WELDED TO THE TRAILER'S FRAME TO ADD STABILITY TO THE FLOOR OF THE TRAILER.THE BAR WAS THEN BOLTED TO BRACKETS WITH LOCK NUTS AND THE BRACKETS WERE THEN WELDED TO THE AXLES.THEREFORE, THE ADDED STRENGTH SUPPLIED BY THE WELDS MAKES THE AMOUNT OF TORQUE IRRELEVANT.AT ODI'S REQUEST,4-STAR PROVIDED DATA AND EXAMINED TRAILERS FROM EACH MODEL YEAR AND PROVIDED DOCUMENTATION THAT SUPPORTS THEIR CLAIM.( CONTINUES ON PAGE 2)

SUSPENSION:REAR

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 11, 2009

BLOW OUT OF UNIROYAL LT235 85R16 TIRES ON HORSE TRAILER WITH NO SIGNS OF WEAR. SECOND BLOW OUT WAS THIS YEAR. I FEEL THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS TIRE AS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. TIRES WERE INFLATED PROPERLY. REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND. *TR

NHTSA ID
10283652
Incident
Apr 23, 2008
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 7, 2008

NEW TIRES PURCHASED ON OCTOBER 5, 2007 COMPLETELY FAILED LESS THAN 7 MONTHS LATER IN MAY 2008. YOUR SYSTEM DOES NOT HAVE THE OPTION OF SELECTING THE CORRECT TIRE MANUFACTURER SO I ENTERED THE INFORMATION AS CLOSE TO THE CORRECT DATA AS POSSIBLE. PARKHOUSE TIRE, INC. PURCHASED THE TIRES AND I DO NOT KNOW THE MFG. *TR

NHTSA ID
10237354
Incident
May 17, 2008
Suspension
Filed Feb 26, 2007

TL*- THE CONTACT TOOK HIS 2004 KIEFER BUILT HORSE TRAILER TO DEALER TO GET A TIRE REPLACEMENT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE AXLE. AFTER THE TIRE WAS REPLACED HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GRAND CHAMPION AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE TIRE NEEDED BALANCING. GRAND CHAMPION TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THE TIRE WAS BALANCED WHEN THE TIRE COMPANY REPLACED THE TIRE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE IN ABOUT 4-6 MONTHS LATER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SAME TIRE WAS WEARING AGAIN. HE THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO GRAND CHAMPION , AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INFORMED GRAND CHAMPION THAT THE TIRE COMPANY TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AXLE, WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE TIRE WEARING OUT SO FAST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT 4 MONTHS LATER WHILE DRIVING HE CAME TO A STOP AND GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE WHEEL. HE PULLED OVER TO A PARKING LOT AND THE WHEEL CAME OFF THE VEHICLE. HE CONTACTED GRAND CHAMPION ,AND WAS VERY UPSET. HE STATED THAT HE HAD HORSES ON THIS VEHICLE AND THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A CRASH IF HE HADN'T NOTICED THE SMOKE FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. GRAND CHAMPION INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE NEEDED TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK TO THEM. THE CONTACT DID GET THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY HAD THE TRAILER FOR 3-4 WEEKS AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY REPLACED THE AXLE ON THE VEHICLE BUT THEY DID NOT REPLACED THE FENDER. *AK

NHTSA ID
10183491
Incident
Dec 20, 2005

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

4-Star Trailers Horse Trailer by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2007110—
2006420—
2005321—
2004Viewing321—
2003111—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.