2020-2021 Workhorse Noncompliance with Multiple Safety Standards

September 21, 2021 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V731000

Noncompliance with Multiple Safety Standards

Vehicles that do not meet all safety standards have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V731

Manufacturer Workhorse Group Inc.

Components WHEELS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY, EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Potential Number of Units Affected 41

 

Summary

Workhorse Group Inc. (Workhorse) is recalling certain 2020-2021 C1000M, C1000S and 2020 C650 vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with multiple Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, including numbers 101, “Control and Displays,” 104, “Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems,” 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment,” and 120, “Wheels and Rims – Other Than Passenger Cars.”

 

Remedy

Dealers will replace the headlamp switch cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 13, 2022. Owners may contact Workhorse’s customer service at 1-513-360-4704.

 

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.

 

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Noncompliance Recall Notice
NHTSA Recall ID: 21V-731

 

******** IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL ********

 

Vehicles affected: Workhorse C1000M/C1000S/C650 Model Year: 2020-2021

 

January 12, 2022

Dear C1000 Series Owner/Lessee:

 

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Workhorse Group Inc has decided certain Model Year 2020-2021 C1000S, C1000M and C650 vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers, 101 (Controls and Displays), 104 (Windshield Wipers and De-fogging systems), 108 (Lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment), 120 (Tire selection and Rims) and 206 (Door locks and door retention components).

 

Your vehicles are included in this recall action.

 

What is the concern?

Compliance concerns have been identified on 2020-2021 model year Workhorse C1000M, C1000S and C650 electric vehicles. If a vehicle does not comply with all applicable safety standards, there is an increased risk of injury, or a vehicle crash without prior warning.

• FMVSS 101
  • Replace headlamp switch cover with one containing the FMVSS approved headlamp symbol to avoid operator confusion
  • Replace Turn Signal / Dimmer Switch Lever Knob with one containing the FMVSS approved headlamp symbol to avoid operator confusion
  • Replace hazard switch button with one containing the FMVSS approved hazard symbol to avoid operator confusion
  • Install software update with alert/warning with FMVSS approved icon corrections to avoid operator confusion
  • Replace Wiper/Washer Switch with an illuminated switch to facilitate dusk-to-dawn operator safety
• FMVSS 104
  • Increase the length of the driver side wiper blade to 28” to increase the swept area and improve the driver’s field of view in inclement weather
• FMVSS 108
  • Attach In-cab Operator Warning Tag to alert operators that the vehicle is not to be operated on public roads open to unrestricted public travel before affixing the reflex reflectors shipped with the vehicle. (Note: The reflex reflectors are not installed during production to allow dealers/upfitters/customers the opportunity to first paint/wrap the exterior of the vehicle).
• FMVSS 120
  • Replace wheel rims not marked in compliance with Federal regulations. While Workhorse is confident in the performance and safety of the rims installed on all vehicles to-date, the company is replacing all unmarked rims to avoid confusion, customer cost or inconvenience.
• FMVSS 206
  • Reinforce the forward driver and passenger side door lock mounting area to improve security and integrity in certain crash events. While Workhorse is confident in the performance and safety of the doors installed on all vehicles to-date, the company is modifying the door latch mounting procedure for C1000M and C650 vehicles.

 

What will Workhorse do?

Workhorse is carrying out a safety recall of the vehicles mentioned above to update the software and replace components to bring the vehicles into compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Standards. There will be no charge for these repairs under this program.

 

What should you do?

Stop driving these vehicles immediately. Please contact Workhorse at 1 (513) 360-4704 or compliance@workhorse.com to arrange for the recall service on your vehicles, including transport of the vehicles to the designated service location.

 

How long will it take?

The work will be carried out as quickly and efficiently as possible to minimize the inconvenience to customers and is expected to take between 7-10 business days once the vehicle arrives at the Workhorse repair facility, although the facility may need your vehicles for a longer time.

 

What should you do if you have further questions?

Please contact Workhorse at 1 (513) 360-4704 or compliance@workhorse.com and we will answer any questions you may have. Please include your full name, address where the vehicle is located and VIN(s) of your vehicle(s) in your email.

If you need to contact Workhorse by Mail, please use the following address:

Workhorse Group Inc
ATTN: Compliance
100 Commerce Drive
Loveland, OH 45140

 

If after having attempted to take advantage of this recall you believe you have not been able to have your vehicles remedied without charge and within a reasonable amount of time, you may submit a complaint to 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 https://www.safercar.gov.

Workhorse appreciates your confidence in our product and will to do everything we can to retain that confidence.

We recognize this service visit may be an inconvenience to you. Workhorse will strive to minimize any inconvenience caused by this safety recall.

 

Sincerely,

Ryan Gaul

President, Commercial Vehicles Workhorse Group Inc

 

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Chronology :

August 2021

After leadership changes at Workhorse, the company requested its staff to provide evidence of compliance with all applicable FMVSSs. Workhorse retained an engineering consulting firm, Engineering Answers, LLC, to conduct a visual compliance review of its C1000S (also known as C62) vehicle. The engineering firm identified noncompliances with certain FMVSSs in a report dated August 6, 2021. The report also noted the need to conduct physical testing to confirm compliance with certain standards.

Workhorse leadership learned that Engineering Answers, LLC had provided advice previously (in 2019 and 2020) about certain noncompliances.

Workhorse leadership also sought a visual compliance review by a different engineering consulting firm, Pilot Systems, Inc. Pilot confirmed substantially the same discrepancies identified by Engineering Answers, LLC in a report delivered to Workhorse on August 31, 2021.

 

September 17, 2021

Workhorse leadership decided to conduct a recall to address the potential and actual noncompliances. The recall decision was based on the engineering firms’ confirmation of some noncompliances, as well as upon verification of incompleteness of documentation confirming that the subject vehicles complied with other
applicable standards.

 

January 7, 2022

Based upon independent testing results, Workhorse leadership determined that FMVSS 206 would be added to the C-Series non-compliance list. (Note: No additional vehicles or actions beyond those already covered by the initial Dealer/Customer notices were affected by this decision.)

 

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5 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKE	MODEL	YEAR
WORKHORSE	C1000M	2020-2021
WORKHORSE	C1000S	2020-2021
WORKHORSE	C650	2020

 

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9 Associated Documents

Recall 573 Report – AMENDMENT 2

RCLRPT-21V731-9203.PDF 213.744KB

 

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Owner Notification Letter(Part 577) – w/NHTSA edits

RCONL-21V731-3032.pdf 274.031KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – AMENDMENT 3

RCLRPT-21V731-7477.PDF 215.931KB

 

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Noncompliance Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-21V731-2280.PDF 213.429KB

 

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-21V731-7428.PDF 213.429KB

 

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Recall 573 Report- Amendment 1

RCLRPT-21V731-1922.PDF 213.438KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-21V731-2559.pdf 647.493KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – January 12, 2022

RCLRPT-21V731-1406.PDF 216.209KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2022-1

RCLQRT-21V731-2000.PDF 211.143KB

 

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=21V731&docType=RCL

 

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Last update on 2025-04-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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