20-05 – License Plate Lamp Incorrectly Installed/FMVSS 108 – 2020-2021 FLT Utilimaster Truck Body

April 16, 2020 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V216000

License Plate Lamp Incorrectly Installed/FMVSS 108

The incorrectly positioned license plate lamp may cause confusion to other drivers on the road, increasing the risk of a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V216

Manufacturer Spartan Motors, Inc.

Components EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Potential Number of Units Affected 50

 

Summary

Spartan Motors, Inc. (Spartan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 FLT Utilimaster Truck Body vehicles. The license plate lamp may be installed in the incorrect position and at an incorrect angle, causing the plate to not be properly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”

 

Remedy

Spartan will notify owners, and will replace the license plate lamp, free of charge. The recall began May 5, 2020. Owners may contact Spartan customer service at 1-800-543-5008. Spartan’s number for this recall is 20-05.

 

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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May 5, 2020

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL – 20V-216

This notice applies to the vehicle identification number in the label below.

[See attached VIN listing]

 

Dear Mr. Montgomery,

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

Spartan Motors, Inc. has decided that certain 2020 through 2021 model year Work Truck Bodies fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment. More specifically, these vehicles fail to meet section S7.7.15.4 which states, When a single lamp as shown in Figure 20 within FMVSS 108, is used to illuminate the license plate, the lamp and license plate holder must bear such relation to each other that at no point on the plate must the incident light make an angle of less than 8° to the plane of the plate, this angle being measured from the edge of the light emitting surface of the lamp farthest from the surface of the plate.”

 

Noncompliance:

The license plate lamp that was originally installed on the affected vehicles is mounted in a way the incident light is less than 8° to the plane of the license plate.

The license plate lamp, as originally installed, may cause confusion to trailing drivers which may increase the risk of a crash.

 

Corrective Action:

The license plate lamp will be removed and replaced at NO CHARGE TO YOU.

 

Labor Time:

Replacement of the license plate lamp may take up to 1 hour. Due to some service scheduling times, your service provider may need your vehicle for a longer period.

 

What You Should Do:

Call Spartan Fleet Vehicles at 1-800-582-3454 or email your company name, shipping address and the VIN of the affected unit(s) to [email protected] to locate a service provider near you. Steps will be taken to ensure the replacement of the license plate lamp is performed at the nearest service provider.

 

Leased Vehicles:

The lessor must notify the lessee by first class mail within ten (10) days from receipt of their owner notification letter from the manufacturer; both for the initial notification and all subsequent notifications.

 

Reimbursement: 

If you had this repair performed before you received this letter, you may be eligible to receive reimbursement for the cost of obtaining a pre-notification remedy of the problem associated with this recall.  For more information contact Spartan Fleet Vehicles at 1-800-582-3454.

 

Reply Card: 

Please fill out the enclosed prepaid postcard and mail it to us if you have changed your address, sold, or traded the vehicle.

If the authorized service center has failed or is unable to remedy the defect without charge and within a reasonable time, contact Spartan Fleet Vehicles at 1-800-582-3454.  You may also submit a complaint to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, D.C. 20590 or call the Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800424-9153); or go to https://www.safercar.gov if you feel the manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy the defect without charge.

We regret any inconvenience this service may cause you. Your safety and continued satisfaction with the quality and performance of your vehicle is of the utmost concern to us.

 

Sincerely –

Utilimaster Warranty Team

 

Spartan Motors USA, Inc.

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2 Affected Products

Vehicle

MAKE	MODEL	YEAR
UTILIMASTER	TRUCK BODY	2020-2021

 

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6 Associated Documents

Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-20V216-7703.pdf 245.53KB

 

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Non-Compliance Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-20V216-6667.PDF 213.696KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2020-2

RCLQRT-20V216-6521.PDF 211.135KB

 

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Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-20V216-8642.pdf 102.891KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2020-4

RCLQRT-20V216-7182.PDF 211.32KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2020-3

RCLQRT-20V216-2431.PDF 211.237KB

 

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=20V216&docType=RCL

 

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Last update on 2026-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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