Truck Panel Body may Crack at Bottom Flange – Reading Panel Bodies

NHTSA Campaign Number: 18E021
Manufacturer Reading Truck Body, LLC.
Components STRUCTURE
Potential Number of Units Affected 4,124

 

Truck Panel Body may Crack at Bottom Flange

Damaged turn signal wiring can cause the turn signals to function improperly, increasing the risk of a crash.

 

Summary

Reading Truck Body, LLC. (Reading) is recalling certain 108 inch and 132 inch Standard Production Panel Bodies. The bottom flange of the rear cross member may crack where the truck body sits on the chassis frame, potentially damaging the turn signal wiring.

 

Remedy

Reading will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the panel body for cracks, and either install reinforcement brackets, or replace the truck body, free of charge. The recall began on June 1, 2018. Owners may contact Reading customer service at 1-800-458-2226.

 

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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READING

BODY BETTER—-

 

IMPORTANT SAFEIY RECALL

 

Re: VIN

NHTSA Recall 18E-021

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

Reading Truck Body (Reading) has decided that a defect related to motor vehicle safety exists in your vehicle with the VIN stated above. Reading has found that cracking may occur in Reading panel body trucks which, if left unattended, could impact the operation of the rear tail lights and turn signals, increasing the risk of a crash.

 

What Is The Concern?

Reading has identified an issue with the design of certain panel body trucks. Due to a change in manufacturing process, the cross-member in your vehicle(s) does not run the full length of the truck body and may not provide sufficient support to the body, leading to cracks in the rear body. If the cracks are left unattended, the potential exists for the side packs to fall and impact the operation of the vehicle’s rear tail lights and turn signals.

 

What Should You Do?

The vehicle(s) listed were sold to you and have been identified as vehicle(s) that include the aforementioned cross-member. Please confirm ownership of the vehicle(s), and contact 1-866-2217936 to make an appointment to have your vehicle retrofitted. The Repair Center will complete the repair at no cost to you.

 

How Long Will the Repair Take?

Please plan to leave your vehicle with the repair center for 2 hours to allow the Repair Center time to complete the repair. Additionally, the repair will depend upon the presence and extent of cracking. In the case of more extensive cracking the entire truck body may be replaced and the repair could take up to 10 hours.

 

What To Do If You Feel You Received This Notice in Error?

If you are not the current owner of the vehicle(s) identified on the enclosed list, please send email notification of the change of ownership to: Ken Axe kaxe@readingbody.com.

Please include the Reading Body Serial or Chassis VIN, as well as any information you can produce on the vehicle’s new owner [Name, Address, and Phone#].

Federal law requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice forward it to the vehicle lessee within ten days.

 

Reading Truck Body, LLC
825 E. Wyomissing Blvd, Reading, PA 19611
(800) 458-2226 www.readingbody.com

 

What To Do If You Have Ouestions?

If you have any questions about this notice, or need assistance with arranging for your vehicle to be repaired, please call 1-866-221-7936.

If you are still having difficulty getting your vehicle repaired in a reasonable period of time and without charge, you may contact the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington D.C. 20590 or call the toll free hotline at 1-800-4249153 or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience. Reading is committed to maintaining a level of truck body excellence that exceeds your expectations now, and in the future.

Sincerely,

Kenneth L. Axe

Quality/Warranty Systems Manager

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Frequently Ask Questions (FAQs) in Accordance with NHTSA Recall 18E-021

 

What products are affected by the recall?

• 132” Dual Wheel Panel Bodies manufactured between May 1, 2016 and March 31, 2018.
• 108” Dual Wheel Panel Bodies manufactured between May 1, 2016 and March 31, 2018.

Reading will also be retrofitting the 132” dual wheel service bodies manufactured between May 2016 and July 2017.

 

What is the Issue? 

Reading Truck Body (Reading) has found that cracking may occur in certain Panel Body Trucks. Stress on the bottom flange of the rear cross-member may cause cracking to occur in the location where the truck body sits on the chassis frame.

 

What is the risk?  

If the cracks are left unattended, the potential exists for the side packs to fall and impact the operation of the vehicles rear tail lights and turn signals.

 

What is the solution? 

Reading has partnered with Stericycle, an experienced service provider, to manage the customer outreach and repair process. Once Stericycle has contacted a vehicle owner, a warm live phone transfer from Stericycle will be made to the owners’ preferred distributor. Stericycle will stay on the line with the vehicle owner and distributor to obtain confirmation of a repair being scheduled.

 

Is there a cost for this repair? 

No, the repair center (distributor) will complete the repair at no cost to the vehicle owner.

 

Who is managing the recall? 

Reading has hired Stericycle, an experienced service provider, to facilitate the customer outreach.  Stericycle has responsibility to manage the vehicle owner tracking and contact, scheduling repair appointments with distributors, repair kit distribution and recall tracking.  Vehicle owners are given a telephone number (866-221-7936) to contact Stericycle to schedule an appointment for repair.

 

How are vehicle owners being notified and scheduled? 

Forms of outreach include mailers, phone calls and emails to the affected vehicle owners.  At least three attempts will be made.  Once Stericycle has connected with a vehicle owner, Stericycle will contact the owners’ preferred distributor to arrange for an evaluation and repair of the body, and for the distributor to receive the repair kit.

 

What does a distributor do if there is a recalled body in their inventory?

If a distributor has a recalled body in their inventory they should call Stericycle at 866-222-9038 to order and install a kit to perform the repair.

 

If a distributor or vehicle owner is unsure if the body is part of the repair/recall, what should they do? 

Distributor or vehicle owner can contact Stericycle at 866-221-7938 to determine if the body is part of the repair/recall program.

 

How does a distributor order a repair kit?

Stericycle has inventory of repair kits. Once an appointment date is set up with the vehicle owner for the repair, Stericycle will ship a repair kit to the distributor for receipt prior to the appointment.  Distributors can contact Stericycle at 866-222-9038 with any questions about the repair kit distribution.

 

What phone number should a distributor call for technical questions regarding evaluation and repair process, repair kit, severity of the body condition, etc.? 

Reading has setup a special quick response number for technical questions at 833-210-4782.

 

What if the distributor evaluation determines that the body needs to be replaced? 

Reading with the distributor will make a determination of a temporary repair until the replacement body is available starting with the installation of the NHTSA approved repair kit. At the approval of Reading, the distributor requests a new body by completing the sign-off reimbursement form for authorized replacement and submits it to crossmember@readingbody.com.  Reading is prioritizing the production of replacement bodies.

 

What should the distributor do if the vehicle owner does not accept the repair kit or refuses repair of the vehicle? 

The distributor should document the vehicle owner’s repair process refusal by completing the sign-off reimbursement form (repair refusal section) and submit it to crossmember@readingbody.com. Stericycle will follow-up with the vehicle owner to confirm and document the vehicle owner’s final decision.

 

What should the distributor do after the repair is completed? 

Complete the sign-off reimbursement form that is included in the repair kit (last page of repair kit documentation) and submit to crossmember@readingbody.com.

 

How does the distributor get reimbursed for the cost to repair the body? 

Recall reimbursement form must be completed and sent to crossmember@readingbody.com along with your invoice.  All forms will be reviewed on a timely basis and once approved; distributors will be reimbursed by Reading through Warranty.

 

What amount does the distributor receive for installing the repair kit? 

The Distributor will be reimbursed $400 to install the repair kit as noted in the reimbursement form.  Additional repairs and reimbursements will be subject to prior approval through the technical response line with Reading at 833-210-4782.

 

What if a distributor knows a vehicle owner that needs the repair and hasn’t been notified, can the distributor contact vehicle owner? 

Yes, distributors can reach out to the vehicle owner and contact Stericycle at 866-222-9038 to schedule a repair appointment and to receive a repair kit.  The distributor will need to provide information about the vehicle owner and body for Stericycle to record.

 

What if a body exhibits the defect but is not on the recall list? 

For all bodies not identified in this letter, distributors should follow the Reading Warranty process. The distributor will need to provide information about the vehicle owner and body.

 

What if a vehicle owner contacts the distributor directly to set up the repair? 

Distributor shouldcontact Stericycle at 866-222-9038.

 

What if a repair kit is missing parts? 

Distributor can contact Stericycle at 866-222-9038 for any missing parts.

 

What if the vehicle owner does not feel safe driving the vehicle to the distributor, is towing an option? 

Distributor should contact Stericycle at 866-222-9038 for review and authorization.

 

What if the vehicle owner cannot be without their vehicle is alternate transportation available? 

Repairs will be scheduled and completed promptly.  Most repairs can be complete within 2 hours.  Per the existing warranty, Reading shall not be liable for any rental reimbursement, loss of vehicle use, inconvenience, storage, lost time/pay, etc.

 

What is the vehicle owner has more than one vehicle with a Reading body, are my other vehicles affected? 

Only dual wheel panel and service bodies that fall within range of the recall/retrofit need to be repaired at this time. If the body exhibits the defect, a distributor can contact Stericycle at 866222-9038 to request authorization and repair kit.  Distributor will need to provide information about the vehicle owner and body for Stericycle to record.

 

What if the distributor is too far (outside of 40 miles), is there mileage reimbursement?

No.

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Owner Notification Letter

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RCONL-18E021-5643.pdf

 

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Frequently Ask Questions (FAQs) in Accordance with NHTSA Recall 18E-021

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RCMN-18E021-0270.pdf

 

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Manufacturer Notice

July 31, 2018

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RCMN-18E021-8551.pdf

 

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Manufacturer Notice

May 30, 2018

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RCMN-18E021-2961.pdf

 

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Chronology – Reading Truck Body

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RMISC-18E021-7032.pdf

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

April 12, 2018

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RCAK-18E021-3381.pdf

 

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