M18-098 – Air Brake Circuit Fitting Incorrect/FMVSS 121 – 2008-2018 Mertz Custom Trailers

March 11, 2019

Air Brake Circuit Fitting Incorrect/FMVSS 121

If a plastic connector fails, a loss of service brakes will occur or the emergency brakes will activate unexpectedly. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V195

Manufacturer Mertz Manufacturing, LLC

Components SERVICE BRAKES, AIR, PARKING BRAKE

Potential Number of Units Affected 475

 

Summary

Mertz Manufacturing, LLC is recalling certain 2008-2018 custom trailers. Plastic junction connections may have been installed in the air brake circuits. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, “Air Brake Systems.”

 

Remedy

Mertz has notified owners and will provide metal brake line connections to replace the plastic connections. The recall began March, 29, 2019. Owners may contact Mertz customer service at 1-580-767-8404. Mertz’s number for this recall is M18-098.

 

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.

 

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IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL – RESPOND IMMEDIATELY
This notice applies to your vehicles, VIN list accompanies this letter.
NHTSA Recall No. 19V195 / Mertz ID M18-098

 

Dear Customer

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

Mertz Manufacturing, Inc. has decided that certain trailers manufactured between 2008 and 2018 equipped with air brake systems fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 121, “Air brake systems”.

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

The 3-way, push-to-connect, black plastic tees (Figure 1) may have been incorrectly installed in some air brake circuits instead of the brass fittings (Figure 2).  These plastic tees are approved in auxiliary circuits that are protected by a pressure protection valve.

If a plastic fitting is installed in the blue line and fails, loss of service brakes will occur, increasing the risk of a crash.  Only the emergency braking system is available.  If the plastic fitting is installed in the red line and fails, the emergency brakes activate, causing the trailer to stop unexpectedly and increasing the risk of a crash.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

1) Inspect all of the trailers listed on the included VIN list. Mertz will provide replacement brass tees and reimburse for the labor, up to 30 minutes (one half hour), required to replace the tee(s) in the braking circuit.  If you find any of the black plastic tees shown in Figure 1 used on your affected trailers, please contact Mertz Manufacturing, Inc. (below).

If you inspect a trailer on the VIN list, and do not find any of the black plastic tees in the braking circuit, as shown in Figure 1, please contact Mertz Manufacturing, Inc. (below).

2) You may also be eligible to receive a reimbursement for the cost of repairs made prior to receiving this notice.

3) For reimbursement as stated above, please complete and submit the included reimbursement form.

4) If the addressee included in this notice is not the appropriate contact within your organization for this communication, please provide updated contact information including email address.

5) If you no longer own the vehicle, please complete the change of ownership information provided with the VIN list.

6) Federal law requires that you forward a copy of this safety recall notice to the lessee within 10 days.

7) Please be advised in conjunction with this hardcopy notice, Mertz will provide email notification including an electronic copy of the VIN list and associated forms to the contact addressed in this notice. Electronic communication and form completion is preferred.

8) Please direct response requirements and all inquiries to:

Kim Miller
QC Administrator
kmiller@mertzok.com
1701 N. Waverly St.
Ponca City, OK  74601
(580) 767-8404

 

If you are unable to receive the remedy to this defect without charge, or within a reasonable amount of time, you may submit a written complaint to:

Administrator
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey AVE SE
Washington, DC 20590

You may also call the toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or go to https://www.safecar.gov.

Mertz sincerely appreciates your participation and understanding in this recall, and apologizes for any inconvenience it may cause.

Sincerely,

Roy Heath, Manager
Mertz Manufacturing, Inc.
Quality Control, Engineering

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11 Affected Products

Vehicle

MERTZ

CUSTOM TRAILER

2008-2018

 

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6 Associated Documents

Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2019-1

RCLQRT-19V195-0057.PDF 211.135KB

 

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Non-Compliance Notice 573 Report FMVSS 121

RCLRPT-19V195-7278.PDF 214.147KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-19V195-8386.pdf 245.506KB

 

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ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-19V195-2757.pdf 577.423KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2019-3

RCLQRT-19V195-0713.PDF 211.326KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2019-2

RCLQRT-19V195-1651.PDF 211.237KB

 

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=19V195&docType=RCL

 

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