Recall Corner — March 2006

Automatic Equipment Manufacturing Company has announced NHTSA recall 06E003000, which affects some Blue Ox TruCenter TC35160 and TC35270 steering control units built between October 2005 and December 2005. The potential number of units involved is 238.
Certain Blue Ox TruCenter steering control units may have foreign material in their tubes that can cause them to gall and eventually bind together. This condition could cause loss of driver steering ability, possibly leading to a vehicle crash. The units are identified by serial numbers that begin with the first four digits of 1005, 1105, and 1205.

Automatic Equipment Manufacturing will replace the affected Blue Ox Trucenter steering control units. The repair is expected to take approximately one hour. However, because of service scheduling times, the service center may need your vehicle for a longer time period.

For more information about this recall, contact Blue Ox at (888) 425-5382. Owner notification was expected to begin in January 2006.

National RV Inc. has announced NHTSA recall 06V002000, which affects some 2005 Tropi-Cal and 2006 Islander and Tradewinds motorhomes, built from May 2004 through September 2005. The potential number of coaches involved is 588.

Certain motorhomes were not equipped with the proper number of seat belts equal to the number of people the motorhomes are intended to accommodate for sleeping. In the event of a crash, a seat occupant who is not properly restrained by a safety belt has an increased risk of personal injury.

National RV dealers will install the additional seat belts. The repair is expected to take approximately one hour. However, because of service scheduling times, the service center may need your vehicle for a longer time period.

For more information about this recall, contact National RV at (800) 439-3653. Owner notification was expected to begin in February 2006.

Winnebago Industries Inc. has announced NHTSA recall 05V573000, which affects some 2006 Itasca Cambria, Ellipse, Horizon, Meridian, Navion, Spirit, Sundancer, Sunova, and Sunrise motorhomes; and some 2006 Winnebago Aspect, Journey, Minnie Winnie, Outlook, Sightseer, Tour, Vectra, View, and Voyage motorhomes built from November 14, 2005, through December 8, 2005. The potential number of coaches involved is 193.

On certain motorhomes equipped with Kwikee-brand electric entrance steps, the steps may have been manufactured with defective step control units. The defective control units could develop an electrical short, which potentially may cause the plastic case to ignite, resulting in personal injury and/or vehicle and property damage.

Itasca and Winnebago dealers will inspect the step control unit and replace it if it is found to be defective. The repair is expected to take approximately two hours. However, because of service scheduling times, the service center may need your vehicle for a longer time period.

For more information about this recall, contact Winnebago Industries at (800) 537-1885. Owner notification began in January 2006.