RoadVitals

NHTSA safety recall

Recall 23V008000: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS; STRUCTURE:BODY

Gratimax, LLC · Reported to NHTSA Jan 13, 2023

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
Units potentially affectedThe manufacturer's own estimate of how many vehicles or items of equipment may contain the defect. It is not a count of failures, and not every unit in the range is necessarily affected.
31
Model years coveredModel years in our database that NHTSA matched to this campaign. Whether an individual vehicle is covered still depends on its VIN.
11
Models covered
1
Grouped from the model years above
Reported to NHTSA
Jan 13, 2023

What this recall covers

NHTSA's campaign record, quoted as published

The defect

Gratimax, LLC (Gratimax) is recalling certain 2013-2023 McElrath Trailers VX75 Xcel vacuum excavator trailers. The design of the rear impact guard resulted in the incorrect placement of the taillights. In addition, the guard may fail to prevent a vehicle from traveling under the trailer during a rear impact crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 224, "Rear Impact Protection."

The risk

Incorrect placement of the taillights may reduce the visibility of the trailer, increasing the risk of a crash. During a crash, a vehicle that travels under the rear of the trailer increases the risk of injury.

The remedy

Dealers will reposition the taillights and modify the rear impact guard, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2023. Owners may contact Gratimax customer service at 1-864-814-2220. Gratimax's number for this recall is 21434.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

A 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.

Campaign details

Identifiers and dates as filed with NHTSA

Manufacturer
Gratimax, LLC
Manufacturer's campaign number
21434
NHTSA campaign number
23V008000
Units potentially affected
31
Report received
Jan 13, 2023
Production range
Not recorded
Campaign type
Vehicle
Federal safety standard (FMVSS)
108

Vehicles covered

11 model years across 1 model

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.