WHITE MOTOR CORPORATION: Safety Recalls in 1978

LOSS OF LIGHTS AND ENGINE SHUTDOWN MAY OCCUR AS A RESULT OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE DUE TO IMPROPER CIRCUIT CRIMPING AND POTENTIAL HEATER MOTOR CIRCUIT OVERLOADING. ALSO, THE FUEL SOLENOID MAY BE IMPROPERLY FUSED AND THE HEADLIGHT HARNESS IMPROPERLY ROUTED.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 121, "AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS", IN THAT SOME DUAL COMPARTMENT AIR RESERVOIRS WERE INSTALLED WITHOUT A DRAIN VALVE IN BOTH COMPARTMENTS. THE OMISSION OF THE DRAIN VALVE COULD CAUSE: 1) THE TANK TO FILL UP WITH WATER DUE TO CONDENSATION, 2) REDUCED AIR VOLUME, 3) CONTAMINATION OF THE AIR SYSTEM WITH WATER, CAUSING MALFUNCTION OF THE RELEASE VALVES, CHECK VALVES, ETC., AND INCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF AIR SYSTEM COMPONENT FREEZE-UP IN COLD CLIMATES. THESE CONDITIONS COULD RESULT IN MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING ACTION.

THE VINYL COVERED INTERIOR PASSENGER ASSIST/GRAB HANDLE LOCATED ON THE RIGHT HAND HINGE PILLAR CAN WEAR AND FAIL IN SERVICE.

THE GROUND WIRE FROM THE BATTERY GROUND ON THE ENGINE TO THE FRAME RAIL WAS OMITTED. THIS CONSTITUTES A NON-COMPLIANCE TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT" AND NO. 121, "AIR BRAKES". AN INTERMITTENT LOSS OF ELECTRICAL GROUND AND SUBSEQUENT DIMMING OF THE LIGHTING SYSTEM COMPONENTS OR A POSSIBLE FALSE INDICATION OF ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM FUNCTION IS THE CAUSE FOR THE NON-COMPLIANCE.

THE U-BOLTS ON THE RIDEWELL SUSPENSION MAY LOOSEN DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE SUSPENSION AND SUBSEQUENT WELD FAILURE.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH POWER UNIT ANTI-SKID LOGIC MODULES ON TAG AXLE INSTALLATIONS INSTEAD OF THE CORRECT TRAILER TYPE MODULES. SINCE THE TAG AXLE SENSOR OUTPUT IS LESS THAN THAT OF THE POWER UNIT SENSOR, IT REQUIRES THE MORE SENSITIVE TRAILER MODULE. AS SENSOR OUTPUT OVER TIME DROPS BELOW MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, ONE OF TWO THINGS WILL HAPPEN: (1) THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM ON THE TAG AXLE WILL SHUT DOWN AND THE CAB MOUNTED FAULT LAMP WILL LIGHT OR (2) THE SYSTEM WILL BECOME INOPERATIVE WITHOUT ACTIVATING THE FAULT LIGHT. THIS FAILS TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 121, "AIR BRAKES".

THE POWER STEERING UNIVERSAL SHAFT ASSEMBLIES ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES CONTAIN A REVISED GREASE GROOVE LOCATION. CONSEQUENTLY, THEY MAY NOT HAVE PROPER LUBRICATION IN THE SHAFT SPLINE AREA. DUE TO MANUFACTURING ERRORS, RUST MAY DEVELOP AND CAUSE SHAFT SEIZURE.

A LOOSE CONDITION MAY EXIST BETWEEN THE PITMAN ARM AND THE BALL JOINT STUD OF THE DRAG LINK. ALSO, THE STEERING ARM OF THE STEERING KNUCKLE MAY DEVELOP CRACKS AND SEPARATE IN THE UPPER KINGPIN BEARING AREA.

DUE TO LOCATION OF THE BACK OF THE CAB REFLECTOR BEING ABOVE THE 60-INCH MAXIMUM HEIGHT, REFLECTORS WERE TO BE INSTALLED ON THE REAR FRAME CROSSMEMBER. SOME OF THESE TRUCKS WERE DELIVERED WITHOUT THE FRAME MOUNTED REFLECTORS. AS A RESULT, THESE VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT".

THE INCORRECT STEERING ARM MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN PRODUCTION. THE LOCATION OF THIS STEERING ARM CAN CAUSE AN INCREASED BEND IN THE LOWER DRAG LINK, OR POSSIBLY RUPTURE THE BALL STUD.