Safety Recall 20S09 – Rear Differential Fluid Fill Level – 2020 Ford F-Super Duty & 2021 E-Series

February 21, 2020 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V099000

Driveshaft May Separate From Rear Axle

If the driveshaft separates, there may be a loss of drive, increasing the risk of crash. Additionally, if the parking brake is not applied, unintended vehicle movement can occur and increase the risk of injury or crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V099

Manufacturer Ford Motor Company

Components POWER TRAIN

Potential Number of Units Affected 319

 

Summary

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-550 and 2021 E-350 and E-450 vehicles. The rear axle differential fluid may be below the minimum level, possibly resulting in a failure of the rear axle assembly and driveshaft separation.

 

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear axle differential fluid level and adjust it, or replace the rear axle as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 20S09.

 

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.safercar.gov.

 

Check if your Vehicle has a Recall

 

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February 24, 2020

TO: All U.S. Ford and Lincoln Dealers

SUBJECT: NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD
Safety Recall 20S09
Certain 2020 Model Year Super Duty and 2021 Model Year E-Series
Rear Differential Fluid Fill Level

           
AFFECTED VEHICLES

Vehicle	Model Year	Assembly Plant	Build Dates
Super Duty	2020	Kentucky Truck Plant	January 12, 2020 through January 14, 2020
E-Series	2021	Ohio Assembly Plant	January 2, 2020 through January 16, 2020

 

Affected vehicles are identified in OASIS and FSA VIN Lists.

 

REASON FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL

In some of the affected vehicles, it may be possible that the rear differential fluid is below the minimum fill level which could cause premature axle failure.

 

SERVICE ACTION

Before demonstrating or delivering any new in-stock vehicles involved in this recall, dealers are to inspect rear axles for the minimum differential fluid fill level. If a rear axle is below the minimum differential fluid fill level, dealers are to contact the Special Service Support Center (SSSC) for further instructions to complete the repair. This inspection must be performed on all affected vehicles at no charge to the vehicle owner.

 

OWNER NOTIFICATION AND MAILING SCHEDULE

Owner letters are expected to be mailed the week of March 23, 2020. Dealers should inspect all affected vehicles that arrive at their dealerships, whether or not the customer has received a letter.

PLEASE NOTE:

Federal law requires dealers to complete this recall service before a new vehicle is delivered to the buyer or lessee. Violation of this requirement by a dealer could result in a civil penalty of up to $21,000 per vehicle. Correct all vehicles in your new vehicle inventory before delivery.

ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I: Administrative Information
Attachment II: Labor Allowances and Parts Ordering Information
Attachment III: Technical Information
Owner Notification Letters

 

QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE

For questions and assistance, contact the SSSC via the SSSC Web Contact Site. The SSSC Web Contact Site can be accessed through the Professional Technician Society (PTS) website using the SSSC link listed at the bottom of the OASIS VIN report screen or listed under the SSSC tab.

Sincerely,

 

David J. Johnson

 

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ATTACHMENT I

NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD
Safety Recall 20S09
Certain 2020 Model Year Super Duty and 2021 Model Year E-Series – Rear Differential Fluid Fill Level

 

OASIS ACTIVATION

OASIS will be activated on February 24, 2020.

 

FSA VIN LISTS ACTIVATION

FSA VIN Lists will be available through https://web.fsavinlists.dealerconnection.com  on February 24, 2020. Owner names and addresses will be available by April 21, 2020.

NOTE: Your FSA VIN Lists may contain owner names and addresses obtained from motor vehicle registration records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any purpose other than in connection with this recall is a violation of law in several states, provinces, and countries. Accordingly, you must limit the use of this listing to the follow-up necessary to complete this recall.

 

SOLD VEHICLES

• Ford has not issued instructions to stop selling/delivering or driving used vehicles under this safety recall. Owners should contact their dealer for an appointment to have their vehicles remedied as soon as practicable.
• Immediately contact any of your affected customers whose vehicles are not on your VIN list but are identified in OASIS. Give the customer a copy of the Owner Notification Letter (when available) and schedule a service date.
• Correct other affected vehicles identified in OASIS which are brought to your dealership.
• Dealers are to prioritize repairs of customer vehicles over repairs of new and used vehicle inventory.

 

STOCK VEHICLES

• Correct all affected units in your new vehicle inventory before delivery.

 

DEALER-OPERATED RENTAL VEHICLES

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act law effective June 2016 prohibits a rental company from selling, renting or leasing vehicles subject to a safety or compliance recall. Please consult your legal counsel for legal advice.

 

TITLE BRANDED / SALVAGED VEHICLES

Affected title branded and salvaged vehicles are eligible for this recall. 

 

OWNER REFUNDS

Refunds are not approved for this program.

 

RENTAL VEHICLES

Rental vehicles are not approved for this program.

ADDITIONAL REPAIR (LABOR TIME AND/OR PARTS)

Additional repairs identified as necessary to complete the FSA should be managed as follows:

• For related damage and access time requirements, refer to the Warranty and Policy Manual / Section 6 – Ford & Lincoln Program Policies / General Information & Special Circumstances for FSA’s / Related Damage.
• For vehicles within new vehicle bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage, no SSSC approval is required, although related damage must be on a separate repair line with the “Related Damage” radio button checked.
  • Ford vehicles – 3 years or 36,000 miles

 

CLAIMS PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION

• Claim Entry: Enter claims using Dealer Management System (DMS) or One Warranty Solution (OWS) online.
  • When entering claims, select claim type 31: Field Service Action. The FSA number 20S09 is the sub code.
  • For additional claims preparation and submission information, refer to the Recall and Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) Repairs in the OWS User Guide.
• Related Damage/Additional labor and/or parts: Must be claimed as Related Damage on a separate repair line from the FSA with same claim type and sub code as described in Claim Entry above.

IMPORTANT: Click the Related Damage Indicator radio button.

• Additional parts not listed in the parts section: Additional parts such as rear axle differential fluid may be submitted on the same repair line on which the FSA is claimed. Additional parts totaling more than $21 requires prior approval from the SSSC.

 

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ATTACHMENT II

NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD
Safety Recall 20S09
Certain 2020 Model Year Super Duty and 2021 Model Year E-Series – Rear Differential Fluid Fill Level

 

NOTE: Inspection Passes and Inspection Failed labor allowance table has been split to differentiate the labor operations. Please ensure the correct labor operations are used.

INSPECTION PASSES LABOR ALLOWANCES (Closes program)

Description	Labor Operation	Labor Time
Inspect Rear Differential Fluid Level – Passes	20S09A	0.3 Hours

 

INSPECTION DOES NOT PASS LABOR ALLOWANCES (Program stays open, an unsold vehicle cannot be delivered until repairs are performed)

Description	Labor Operation	Labor Time
Inspect Rear Differential Fluid Level – Does Not Pass	Contact SSSC

 

 
PARTS REQUIREMENTS / ORDERING INFORMATION

SSSC Web Contact Site:

Please use the SSSC Web Contact Site to order parts. Less than 3% of the affected vehicle population is expected to require a rear axle assembly replacement.

 

DEALER PRICE 

For latest prices, refer to DOES II.

 

PARTS RETENTION AND RETURN

Follow the provisions of the Warranty and Policy Manual, Section 1 – WARRANTY PARTS RETENTION AND RETURN POLICIES.

 

EXCESS STOCK RETURN

Excess stock returned for credit must have been purchased from Ford Customer Service Division in accordance with Policy Procedure Bulletin 4000.

 

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ATTACHMENT III

CERTAIN 2020 MODEL YEAR SUPER DUTY AND 2021 E-SERIES VEHICLES — DANA REAR DIFFERENTIAL FLUID LEVEL

 

SERVICE PROCEDURE

1.Locally obtain a wire coat hanger.  Fabricate a rear differential fluid level dip stick 15 mm (0.6 in) in length as seen below.  See Figure 1.

NOTE:  Be sure to have two 90° bends or you may have a false negative reading.

2.Position the vehicle on a hoist.  Please follow the Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in Section 100-02.

3.Clean any dirt, debris and fluid from around the rear differential fill plug, then remove the rear differential fill plug.  See Figure 2.

4. Wipe fill plug opening and surrounding area to insure it is free from residual fluid before proceeding. Insert the 15 mm length of the dip stick into the rear differential housing making sure that the dip stick is fully seated.  Remove the dip stick and check for any visible differential fluid. See Figure 3.  Was differential fluid visible on the 15 mm portion of the dip stick?

• If YES –  Vehicle PASSES inspection.  Proceed to Step 5.
• If NO   –  Vehicle DOES NOT PASS inspection.  Please contact the Special Service Support Center (SSSC).

5. If necessary, top off the rear axle differential fluid following the specifications in the WSM Section 205-02.

6. Install the rear differential fill plug.  See Figure 4.  This closes the recall.

• Torque:  25 lb. ft (34 Nm)

 

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March 2020

 

JOHN A. SAMPLE
123 SAMPLE ST
SAMPLE CITY, MI 12345-6789

 

* * * IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL * * *

Safety Recall Notice 20S09 / NHTSA Recall 20V-099

2020 F-550 Ford Truck
Your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN):

 

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Ford Motor Company has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in your vehicle, with the VIN shown above.

We apologize for this situation and want to assure you that, with your assistance, we will correct this condition. Our commitment, together with your dealer, is to provide you with the highest level of service and support.

What  is the issue?	On your vehicle, it may be possible that rear axle differential fluid is below the minimum fill level.
What  is the risk?	This may result in premature failure of the rear axle assembly, increasing the risk of a crash.
What will Ford and your dealer do?	Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer to inspect the rear axle differential fluid level and adjust or replace if necessary free of charge (parts and labor).
How  long  will it take?	The time needed for this repair is less than one-half day. However, due to service scheduling requirements, your dealer may need your vehicle for a longer period of time. Additionally, your vehicle will require an inspection to determine if parts need to be ordered. In some cases, more time may be required to allow for part availability.
What  should you do?	Please call your dealer without delay and request a service date for Recall 20S09. Provide the dealer with your VIN, which is printed near your name at the beginning of this letter. Ford has not issued instructions to stop driving your vehicle under this safety recall. You should contact your dealer for an appointment to have your vehicle remedied as soon as practicable. If you do not already have a servicing dealer, you can access www.Fordowner.com for dealer addresses, maps, and driving instructions. Ford Motor Company wants you to have this safety recall completed on your vehicle. The vehicle owner is responsible for making arrangements to have the work completed. Ford Motor Company can deny coverage for any vehicle damage that may result from the failure to have this recall performed on a timely basis. Therefore, please have this recall performed as soon as possible. Please note: Federal law requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days. NOTE: You can receive information about Recalls and Customer Satisfaction Programs through our FordPass App. The app can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play. In addition there are other features such as reserving and paying for parking in certain locations and controlling certain functions on your vehicle (lock or unlock doors, remote start) if it is equipped to allow control.
What if you no longer own this vehicle?	If you no longer own this vehicle, and have an address for the current owner, please forward this letter to the new owner. You received this notice because government regulations require that notification be sent to the last known owner of record. Our records are based primarily on state registration and title data, which indicate that you are the current owner.
Can we assist you further?	If you have difficulties getting your vehicle repaired promptly and without charge, please contact your dealership’s Service Manager for assistance. RETAIL OWNERS: If you have questions or concerns, please contact our Ford Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332 and one of our representatives will be happy to assist you. If you wish to contact us through the Internet, our address is: www.Fordowner.com. For the hearing impaired call 1-800-232-5952 (TDD). Representatives are available Monday through Friday: 8:00AM – 8:00PM (Eastern Time). FLEET OWNERS: If you have questions or concerns, please contact our Fleet Customer Information Center at 1-800-34-FLEET, choose Option #3,  and one of our representatives will be happy to assist you. If you wish to contact us through the Internet, our address is: www.fleet.ford.com. Representatives are available Monday through Friday: 8:00AM – 8:00PM (Eastern Time). If you are still having difficulty getting your vehicle repaired in a reasonable time or without charge, you may write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. 20590 or call the toll free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.safercar.gov. Reference NHTSA Safety Recall 20V-099.

 

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Ford Customer Service Division

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Marzo de 2020

 

JOHN A. SAMPLE
123 SAMPLE ST
SAMPLE CITY, MI 12345-6789

 

* * * CAMPAÑA DE SEGURIDAD IMPORTANTE * * *

Aviso de campaña de seguridad 20S09 / Campaña de seguridad 20V-099 de la NHTSA

2020 F-550 Ford Truck
Número de identificación del vehículo (VIN):

 

Este aviso se le envía de acuerdo con la Ley Nacional de Seguridad y Tránsito de Vehículos de los EE. UU.

Ford Motor Company ha determinado que su vehículo presenta un defecto relacionado con la seguridad del motor, con el VIN que aparece más arriba.

Lamentamos esta situación y deseamos asegurarle que, con su ayuda, corregiremos el problema. Nuestro compromiso, junto con el de su distribuidor, es ofrecerle servicio y apoyo de alto nivel.

¿Cuál es el problema?	Es posible que el fluido del diferencial del eje trasero de su vehículo esté bajo el nivel mínimo.
¿Qué riesgo existe?	Esto podría ocasionar una falla prematura del ensamble del eje trasero, lo cual aumenta el riesgo de sufrir un accidente.
¿Qué medidas adoptarán Ford y su distribuidor?	Ford Motor Company ha autorizado a su distribuidor a inspeccionar el nivel de fluido del diferencial del eje trasero y ajustarlo o reemplazarlo, si fuera necesario, sin costo alguno (piezas y mano de obra).
¿Cuánto tiempo tomará?	El tiempo necesario para reparar será menos de medio día. Sin embargo, debido a los requisitos de planificación de servicio, es posible que su distribuidor tarde un poco más. Adicionalmente, se realizará una inspección del vehículo para determinar si se deben solicitar piezas. En algunos casos, se requerirá más tiempo con el fin de lograr disponibilidad de piezas.
¿Qué debe hacer?	Llame a su distribuidor lo antes posible y solicite una cita de servicio para llevar a cabo la campaña 20S09. Proporcione el VIN a su distribuidor, el cual está impreso debajo de sus datos al comienzo de esta carta. Para esta campaña de seguridad, Ford no ha emitido instrucciones de no manejar el vehículo. Deberá ponerse en contacto con su distribuidor a fin de programar una cita para solucionar este problema lo más pronto posible. Si aún no tiene un distribuidor para realizar el servicio, puede acceder a www.Fordowner.com para conocer las direcciones de los distribuidores, ver mapas y obtener las instrucciones para llegar. Ford Motor Company le recomienda realizar esta campaña de seguridad en su vehículo. El propietario del vehículo es responsable de realizar los arreglos para llevar a cabo el trabajo. Ford Motor Company puede negar la cobertura en caso de que el vehículo hubiese sufrido daños por no haber realizado la campaña de manera oportuna. Por lo tanto, le solicitamos que realice esta campaña lo antes posible. Tenga presente que: la ley federal exige que los arrendadores de vehículos que reciban este aviso de campaña envíen una copia del mismo al arrendatario en un plazo de diez días. NOTA: puede recibir información sobre las campañas y los programas de satisfacción del cliente a través de la aplicación FordPass. La aplicación se puede descargar a través de App Store o Google Play. Adicionalmente, existen otras funciones, como reserva y pago de estacionamientos en ciertos lugares, además de control de ciertas funciones en el vehículo (bloqueo y desbloqueo de puertas, arranque remoto) si así está equipado para permitir el control.
¿Qué pasa si usted ya no es el propietario del vehículo?	Si usted ya no es el propietario del vehículo y tiene la dirección del propietario actual, le solicitamos que le reenvíe esta carta. Usted recibió este aviso porque las regulaciones del gobierno exigen el envío   de notificaciones al propietario conocido más reciente del registro. Nuestros registros se basan principalmente en datos estatales y de propiedad, que indican que usted es el propietario actual del vehículo.
¿Podemos hacer algo más por usted?	Si tiene problemas para reparar de inmediato su vehículo y sin costo alguno, comuníquese con el Gerente de Servicio de su distribuidor para solicitar ayuda. PROPIETARIOS MINORISTAS: si tiene dudas o preguntas, comuníquese con  nuestro Centro de Relación con Clientes Ford al 1-866-436-7332 y uno de nuestros representantes con gusto lo atenderá. Si desea comunicarse con nosotros a través de Internet, nuestra dirección es: www.Fordowner.com. Las personas con problemas de audición pueden llamar al 1-800-232-5952 (TDD). Los representantes atienden de lunes a viernes, 8:00 a.m. a 8:00 p.m. (hora local). PROPIETARIOS DE FLOTAS: si tiene dudas o preguntas, comuníquese con nuestro Centro de  Información  a  Clientes  de  flotas  al  1-800-34-FLEET, elija la opción n.° 3 y uno de nuestros representantes con gusto lo atenderá. Si desea comunicarse con nosotros a través de Internet, nuestra dirección es: www.fleet.ford.com. Los representantes atienden de lunes a viernes, 8:00 a.m. a 8:00 p.m. (hora local). Si continúa con dificultades para reparar su vehículo en un tiempo razonable o sin cargo, le sugerimos que escriba al Administrador, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. 20590 o bien que llame sin cargo a la línea directa de seguridad vehicular al 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) o visite www.safercar.gov. Mencione la Campaña de seguridad 20V-099 de la NHTSA.

 

Gracias por su atención en este asunto sumamente importante.

Ford, División de Servicio al Cliente

 

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FORD MOTOR COMPANY ISSUES A SAFETY COMPLIANCE RECALL AND TWO SAFETY RECALLS

DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 25, 2020 – Ford Motor Company is issuing a safety compliance recall and two safety recalls in North America. Details are as follows:

 

Safety compliance recall for select 2018-20 Ford F-150 vehicles with LED headlamps
Ford is issuing a safety compliance recall for select 2018-20 Ford F-150 vehicles with LED headlamps. When the daytime running lamps on affected vehicles are illuminated and the master lighting switch is manually rotated from the autolamp position to the headlamp-on (low-beam) position, the daytime running lamps remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamp intensity as required by federal motor vehicle safety standards. This may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Ford is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this condition.

This action affects 166,196 vehicles in the U.S. and federal territories and 50,989 in Canada.

Affected vehicles were built at Dearborn Truck Plant, Jan. 5, 2017, to Oct. 10, 2019, and Kansas City Assembly Plant, Jan. 25, 2017, to Oct. 10, 2019.

Dealers will update the body control module software configuration. The Ford reference number for this recall is 20C03.

 

Safety recall for select 2015-16 Ford F-150 vehicles for engine block heater cable
Ford is issuing a safety recall for select 2015-16 Ford F-150 vehicles equipped with engine heater elements and 3.5-liter GTDI engines. Depending on the heater element location, some vehicles may have cables with insufficient heat protection and incorrect length. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can cause a resistive short, inoperative engine block heater, and/or tripping of household breakers or GFCI-equipped outlets while the vehicle is parked and the block heater is plugged in.

The risk to safety exists only while the vehicle is parked and the block heater cable is plugged into an electrical outlet. A resistive short in the engine-block heater splice connector can increase the risk of overheated or melted wiring and fire. Customers are advised to not use the engine block heater cable until their vehicle is inspected.

Ford is not aware of any reports of fire, accident or injury related to this condition.

This action affects 13,854 vehicles in the U.S. and federal territories and 19,679 in Canada.

Affected vehicles were built at Dearborn Truck Plant July 31, 2014, to Sept. 27, 2016, and Kansas City Assembly Plant, Feb. 10, 2015, to Oct. 15, 2016.

Dealers will inspect the block heater and cable and repair or replace as necessary. The Ford reference number for this recall is 20S08.

 

Safety recall for select 2020 Ford F-Series Super Duty and 2021 Ford E-Series vehicles
Ford Motor Company is issuing a safety recall for select 2020 Ford F-Series Super Duty and 2021 Ford E-Series vehicles. In some affected vehicles, there may be an inadequate amount of axle lubricant. This can result in bearing seizure, leading to component fracture and driveshaft separation from the rear axle. In the event of a rear-axle pinion stem fracture, customers would experience loss of vehicle motive power and loss of the park function. If the parking brake is not applied, this could result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Ford is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this condition.

This action affects 319 vehicles in the U.S. and seven in Canada.

Affected vehicles include:

• 2020 Ford F-Series Super Duty vehicles built at Kentucky Truck Plant Jan. 12-14, 2020
• 2021 Ford E-Series vehicles built at Ohio Assembly Plant Jan. 2-16, 2020

Dealers will check the differential fluid level. If the fluid is at the proper level, no further action will be taken. If the fluid level is determined to be low, the rear axle assembly will be replaced. The Ford reference number for this recall is 20S09.

 

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3 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKE	MODEL	YEAR
FORD	E-350	2021
FORD	E-450	2021
FORD	F-550	2020

 

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9 Associated Documents

Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2020-1

RCLQRT-20V099-7208.PDF 211.135KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-20V099-8711.pdf 244.299KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – Dealer Notification – NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD Safety Recall 20S09 Certain 2020 Model Year Super Duty and 2021 Model Year E-Series Rear Differential Fluid Fill Level

RCMN-20V099-3188.pdf 587.14KB

 

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Miscellaneous Document – Media Release – FORD MOTOR COMPANY ISSUES A SAFETY COMPLIANCE RECALL AND TWO SAFETY RECALLS

RMISC-20V099-3804.pdf 314.384KB

 

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-20V099-3626.PDF 215.785KB

 

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Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-20V099-7389.pdf 92.977KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #4, 2020-4

RCLQRT-20V099-6196.PDF 211.42KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2020-2

RCLQRT-20V099-5774.PDF 211.238KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2020-3

RCLQRT-20V099-9372.PDF 211.321KB

 

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=20V099&docType=RCL

 

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