RoadVitals

1998 Trail King 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.
2
Latest Jun 18, 2003
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 Jun 20, 2003
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.
0
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 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Trail King Trailer, most frequently naming the brakes and other / unspecified categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year.

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

  • Brakes150.0%
  • Other / unspecified150.0%

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
03V273000

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:CHECK VALVE

Jun 20, 2003
1,189 units potentially affected
The defect: ON CERTAIN TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH SEALCO SPRING BRAKE CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLIES INCORPORATED IN ARVINMERITOR AXLES, PART NOS. 110700 AND 110800, THERE IS A RECESSED AREA ON TOP OF THE VALVE IN WHICH A BRASS GUIDE PIN FITS DOWN INSIDE THE BODY OF THE VALVE AND IS HELD IN PLACE BY A STEEL SNAP RING. THE RECESSED AREA ALLOWS ACCUMULATION OF WATER, DIRT, AND/OR CHEMICALS TO BUILD UP BEHIND THE SNAP RING TO THE POINT WHERE IT WILL NO LONGER CONTAIN THE GUIDE PIN RESULTING IN A FAILURE OF THE AIR VALVE.
The risk: FAILURE OF THE VALVE IN AN EMPTY OR LIGHTLY LOADED TRAILER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION COULD RESULT IN A HARD APPLICATION OF THE SPRING BRAKES, POSSIBLY LOCKING UP THE TRAILER WHEELS AND RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy: SEALCO WILL PROVIDE A REPAIR KIT AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS TO CUSTOMERS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SEALCO AT 602-253-1007 OR TRAIL KING AT 701-282-3013.
TRAIL KINGView on NHTSA.gov
98V120012

WHEELS:RIM

Aug 10, 1998
98 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH AFTERMARKET ALUMINUM DUAL WHEELS, 22.5X8.25, ONE-PIECE, TUBELESS, SUPPLIED BY ACCURIDE/AKW. CERTAIN DESIGN REVISIONS COMBINED WITH PROCESS CONDITIONS CAUSED FATIGUE CRACKS IN THESE WHEELS.
The risk: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE FAILURE OF THESE WHEELS.
The remedy: ACCURIDE/AKW WILL REPLACE THESE WHEELS.
TRAIL KINGView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

Brakes
Filed Jun 18, 2003

ON 7 OCTOBER 2002 I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A HIGHWAY NEAR DENVER WHEN AN AIR HOSE COUPLING RELEASED AND CAUSED THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKES TO APPLY .ON 15 JUNE 2003 THE SAME AIR HOSE COUPLING RELEASED AND CAUSED THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKES TO APPLY. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE TRACTOR TRAILER COMES TO A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE STOP ON THE HIGHWAY. THE FAILURE OCCURS DUE TO A QUICK RELEASE COUPLING USED TO CONNECT THE TRAILER AIR HOSE SUDDENLY RELEASES AND THE RESULTS ARE A LOCKING OF ALL TRAILER WHEEL BRAKES. THE AIR HOSE HAVE A QUICK DISCONNECT FITTING COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A "SCHRADER FITTING OR COUPLER .THIS COUPLER IS USED SO THAT THE TRAILER GOOSE NECK CAN BE REMOVED TO CONVERT THE LOWBOY TRAILER TO ALLOW THE LOADING OF VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT SUCH AS BULL DOZERS..THE COUPLER IS IN A NON PROTECTED AREA UNDER THE TRAILER GOOSENECK JUST BEHIND THE REAR DRIVE WHEELS OF THE TRACTOR . I CALLED TRAIL KING INDUSTRIES IN MITCHELL SOUTH DAKOTA, ON 17 JUNE 2003 AND SPOKE WITH DON (LAST NAME UNKNOWN) AND DISCUSSED THE RECURRING PROBLEM WITH HIM. HE TOLD ME HE KNEW OF AT LEAST 4 OTHER OCCASIONS OF THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING AND THAT IT WAS NOT A TRAIL KING PROBLEM NOR WAS THERE ANY DEFECT IN THE COUPLERS... THIS COUPLE IS NOT A "GLAD HAND" TYPE AIR HOSE COUPLER SUCH AS THE KIND USED TO CONNECT THE TRACTOR AIR HOSE TO THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER..IT IS A COUPLE COMMONLY USE TO CONNECT AIR TOOLS SUCH AS AN IMPACT WENCH TO A AIR HOSE USED IN A MECHANICS SHOP. THIS PROBLEM HAS ALSO OCCURRED TO A TRAIL KING TRAILER OWNED BY REDMOND HEAVY HAUL IN PORTLAND,OREGON. AFTER THE FIRST OCCURRENCE I HAVE ALWAYS TRIPLE CHECKED THE BRAKE HOSE CONNECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONNECTIONS WERE SECURE..THE LAST FAILURE OCCURRED 700 MILES SINCE THE LAST TIME I REMOVED AND RECONNECTED THE BRAKE AIR HOSES . THE LAST FAILURE CAUSED ONE TIRE TO EXPLODE AND CAUSED MY TRACTOR TRAILER TO COME TO A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE STOP ON A HIGHWAY. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10023284
Incident
Oct 7, 2002
Other / unspecified
Filed Jun 15, 2000

RECALL 98V120012; CONSUMER HAS BEEN WAITING OVER A YEAR FOR WHEELS THAT WERE RECALLED IN 1998. *AK

NHTSA ID
863627
Incident
Mar 19, 1999

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Trail King Trailer by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2003020—
2002030—
2001010—
2000010—
1999010—
1998Viewing220—
1997010—

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.