King Pin May Fail Causing Trailer to Detach – 2014-2023 ABS Remorques RC, WC, LRC, & LWC Semi-Trailers

January 13, 2023 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 23V005000

King Pin May Fail Causing Trailer to Detach

A detached trailer cannot be controlled and may overturn or obstruct the road, increasing the risk of a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V005

Manufacturer ABS Remorques

Components SUSPENSION, TRAILER HITCHES

Potential Number of Units Affected 23

 

Summary

ABS Remorques (ABS) is recalling certain 2014-2023 RC, WC, LRC, and LWC semi-trailers. The coupling plate may deteriorate, resulting in failure of the king pin and trailer detachment.

 

Remedy

Semi-trailer owners are advised to inspect for any coupling plate or king pin damage prior to operation. If damage is found, owners should not operate the trailer until it has been repaired. ABS authorized service facilities will replace the coupling plates, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 2, 2023. Owners may contact ABS customer service at 819-879-6216.

 

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.

 


REP-A-12

Coupling Plate Replacement Procedure

Coupling plate replacement on ABS trailers MY2014 to MY2023

 

 


Chronology :

September 2nd, 2022: ABS is informed that a king pin has failed on one of its units resulting from a problem with the coupling plate, but no death or injury has occurred. The repairs are made, and an analysis is requested on said coupling plate, but no results are obtained by the external lab because of the corrosion of the semitrailer.

November 16th, 2022: ABS is informed that another unit has suffered from the same defect as previously mentioned, again without any death or injury. Repairs are subsequently made, and an in-depth investigation begins on other semi-trailers to evaluate the problem. Following various visual inspections on ABS โ€˜semitrailers by ABSโ€™ warranty and engineering team, ABS started doubting the robustness of the coupling plate.

In December 2022 and January 2023, ABS, upon further investigation and reviews, conducted an analysis of the coupling plate and the king pin, and determined that the coupling plate was not robust enough to withstand loads which may occur in this configuration. Redesign activities were initiated to design a coupling plate that will be able to withstand loads based on collected road load data.

On January 10, 2023, ABS determined that a safety recall is warranted for some of its trailers.

 


40 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKEMODELYEAR
ABS REMORQUESLRC2014-2023
ABS REMORQUESLWC2014-2023
ABS REMORQUESRC2014-2023
ABS REMORQUESWC2014-2023

 


9 Associated Documents

Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-23V005-1295.PDF 216.294KB

 


Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-23V005-7649.pdf 652.002KB

 


Recall 573 Report – 1/31/23

RCLRPT-23V005-1416.PDF 217.196KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-23V005-2994.pdf 392.726KB

 


Recall 573 Report – February 7, 2023

RCLRPT-23V005-6032.PDF 217.198KB

 


Owner Notification Letter(Part 577) – Redacted

RCONL-23V005-8634.pdf 221.129KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2023-2

RCLQRT-23V005-7084.PDF 211.211KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2023-1

RCLQRT-23V005-9862.PDF 211.211KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2023-3

RCLQRT-23V005-7613.PDF 211.427KB

 


Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=23V005&docType=RCL

 


 

Bestseller No. 1
Buyers Products KP20050 Forged Trailer King Pin, 2-Inch, 0.50-Inch Bolster Plate Thickness, Weldable, Provide Strength And Reliability To Your Fifth Wheel, 5th Wheel Accessories , Black
  • 2" SAE king pin
  • Maintains hardness of 302-363 BHN
  • More Than Just Parts: From snow and ice equipment to toolboxes, hydraulics, towing, truck and trailer hardware to our innovative lighting products-it's amazing what Buyers Products can do for your truck
  • We Do Things The Right Way: We design products like we're building them for ourselves, because we are; Our teams are staffed with engineers and experts who know how to make a product exceptional
  • Durable and Dependable: Founded in 1946, Buyers Products has become a leader in the truck equipment industry though our commitment to customer care, innovation, and value across our range of products
Bestseller No. 2
ELSOON WA15 5050 Forged Steel Trailer King Pin with 2" Collar and 3/8" Bolster Plate Compatible with 5th Wheel Trailers for Enhanced Towing Stability and Load Capacity
  • Compatibility: Specifically designed for use with WA15 5050 Forged Trailer King Pins, compatible with 5th-wheel trailers for heavy-duty towing applications
  • Durable Construction: Made from high-quality forged steel for superior strength and longevity, ideal for harsh, long-term use
  • Specifications: 2" axle collar and 3/8" bolster plate, designed to fit a wide range of fifth-wheel and gooseneck trailers
  • Enhanced Towing Strength: Provides excellent towing capacity and stability, reducing the risk of unhooking during transit and improving load security
  • Easy Installation: Simple to weld onto your fifth-wheel trailer for a quick and secure installation, ensuring improved towing performance
SaleBestseller No. 3
Buyers Products KP20038 Forged Trailer King Pin, 2-Inch, 0.38-Inch Bolster Plate Thickness, Weldable, Provide Strength and Reliabilty to Your Fifth Wheel, 5th Wheel Accessories
  • 2" SAE king pin
  • Maintains hardness of 302-363 BHN
  • More Than Just Parts: From snow and ice equipment to toolboxes, hydraulics, towing, truck and trailer hardware to our innovative lighting products-it's amazing what Buyers Products can do for your truck
  • We Do Things The Right Way: We design products like we're building them for ourselves, because we are; Our teams are staffed with engineers and experts who know how to make a product exceptional
  • Durable and Dependable: Founded in 1946, Buyers Products has become a leader in the truck equipment industry though our commitment to customer care, innovation, and value across our range of products
Bestseller No. 4
ENFORCER 1111 King Pin Lock โ€“ Heavy Duty Dropped Trailer Theft Prevention โ€“ Portable Unauthorized Hookup Prevention for Dry Vans & Reefers โ€“ Includes ABLOY High-Security Cylinder
  • DROPPED TRAILER PROTECTION Prevents unauthorized tractor hookups on unattended trailers
  • KING PIN SECURITY Locks directly onto the king pin to stop trailer movement
  • ABLOY CYLINDER INCLUDED High-security rotating disc cylinder built for transportation environments
  • HEAVY DUTY STEEL Solid cast steel construction resists cutting, prying, and forced removal
  • PORTABLE DEPLOYMENT Engineered to install quickly without tools for flexible fleet use
Bestseller No. 5
Sunbelt King Pin Quick Connector Hitch Pin for Lawn Tractors Heavy Duty with Auto Lock
  • Heavy duty heat treated construction with nickel plating
  • 1/2" diameter pin and 5" shaft length
  • One-handed hitch and release
  • Auto lock works for all lawn tractors
  • No more hassles with clips and pins

Last update on 2026-06-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


 

 


This product presentation was made with AAWP plugin.

Leave a Comment

Share to...