Seat Back may not Stay Upright – MobilityTrans – 2014-2018 Ford Transit & Ram Promaster & 2014-2015 Ford Econoline

April 18, 2019 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V313000

Seat Back may not Stay Upright

In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V313

Manufacturer Mobility Transportation Services

Components SEATS

Potential Number of Units Affected 2,080

 

Summary

Mobility Transportation Services (MobilityTrans) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Ford Transit and Ram Promaster vehicles and 2014-2015 Ford Econoline vehicles modified to be equipped with Freedman GO-ES Foldaway Seats, part numbers 43705, 45467, 48923, and 75719. When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop.

 

Remedy

MobilityTrans will notify owners and Freedman Seating dealers will inspect and repair the foldaway seat, free of charge. The recall began May 19, 2019. Owners may contact Mobility Transportation Services customer service at 1-734-453-6452.

 

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.

 

---

SAFETY RECALL NOTICE
NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
CAMPAIGN NO: 18E-076 UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM:

 

Freedman Seating Company (FSC) has determined that the GO-ES Foldaway Seat may have a defect which may

increase the risk in occupant injury in the event of a vehicle collision. These seats may have been manufactured with a back-frame weldment that is too narrow resulting in deformation of the seat back cushion dump mechanism which may cause it to malfunction. If this mechanism does malfunction the seat back cushion may not support the appropriate loading in the event of a front or rear vehicle collision.

During the operation of the seat and, specifically, in rotating the seat back cushion from the stowed to the upright, design use position there needs to be an audible click of the mechanism locking into position. In addition, the mechanism handle will rotate downwards. There may be some seats where the mechanism does not fully engage during this operation of the seat back cushion.

 

HOW TO PROCEED:

To correct this condition, FSC will facilitate the inspection and any necessary repairs. An Inspection & Service Procedure is included that provides instruction on how to inspect the seat and repair if necessary. These documents can also be found here:

https://www.freedmanseating.com/instructions/go–es–foldaway

 

After seat inspection and a determination the seat is defective the customer shall complete the included form and email FSC Customer Service partsdept@freedmanseating.com to order a Recall Parts Kit. To ensure the email is not mistakenly identified as spam the email subject line must include: GO-ES Foldaway Seat Recall. No repair parts will be sent unless the form is completely filled out. The expected time to complete the seat repair is 30 minutes per seat.

FSC will reimburse the cost of repairs related to this recall including parts and labor. The reimbursement will be $50.00/seat.

Upon completion of the recall repair work the customer must file a claim with FSC Customer Service for reimbursement referencing FSC Recall #18E-076 on the claim.

FSC Recall Contact:
Terry Gogins or Anthony Lee or Anna Kurzawa
Customer Service Representative
Freedman Seating Company
4545 W Augusta Blvd
Chicago, IL 60465
800-443-4550
Terry.gogins@freedmanseating.com
Anthony.lee@freedmanseating.com
Anna.kurzawa@freedmanseating.com

---

GO-ES Foldaway Seat Inspection

 

Check shipping date under seat.  Seats shipped July 2018 and after do not need any repair.

Index Pin inspection.  Is pin bent?  No = Pass

Pin is located opposite of recliner handle as shown below.

 

Seatback lock inspection.  All checks must pass for the seat to be considered locked.

Video showing inspection: https://www.freedmanseating.com/instructions/go-es-foldaway

1. Rotate seatback to in-use position. Does it take significant effort to rotate?   No = Pass
2. Set seatback between the in-use and stowed positions and release handle. Slowly move seatback to in-use position.
   1. Does recliner make an audible click noise indicating it is locked? Yes = Pass
   2. Does recliner handle rotate all the way down in one motion? Yes = Pass
3. Apply forward and backward pressure to seatback. Does seatback remain locked? Yes = Pass
4. Set seatback to in-use position. See video.
   1. While applying forward pressure to back of the seat, lift release handle just enough to disengage seatback. Do not manually lift handle all the way.  The position of disengagement is somewhere between the handle’s locked and fully unlocked position.
   2. Release handle and move seatback back and forth near the in-use position.
   3. Does it sound/feel like the mechanism is ratcheting? No = Pass ii. Does it take significant effort to rotate seatback? No = Pass

 

If all inspections pass, seat does not need any repair.

If any of the inspections fail, perform repair per detailed instructions using service kit (FSC Part Number: 44200).

 

Instructions and related documents can be found here:

https://www.freedmanseating.com/instructions/go-es-foldaway

 

 

Customer Service Contact Information:

Email: PartsDept@freedmanseating.com

Email Subject Must Contain:  GO-ES Foldaway Seat Recall Seat Recall Form must be complete and attached

Terry Gogins Customer Service Department 773-524-2440 EXT 233

Anthony Lee Customer Service Department 773-524-2440 EXT 311

 

---

GO-ES Foldaway Service Instructions

Table of Contents

Seat Preparation…………………………………….…………………………………….Page 3

Spacer Installation…………………………………………………………………….Page 4-8

Stop Block Installation……………………………………………………………..Page 9-13

Warning Label Application…………………………………………………..….….Page 14

 

Seat Preparation

Step 1

Set the seat to the in-use position.  Carefully remove cushion inserts by pulling them up to access seat frame.  See Video.

 

Step 2  SKIP THIS STEP IF INDEX PIN IS NOT BENT

Remove back-frame dump handle.

One screw holds the handle on the spindle.  Use manual tool only.  Screw prone to break.

 

Step 3_SKIP THIS STEP IF INDEX PIN IS NOT BENT

Remove side cover.

Three screws and the dump handle hold

 

Spacer Installation

Step 4

Partially undo back cover to expose 6 bolts used to connect seatback to seatbase.

 

Step 5

Do not remove bolts.  Replace nuts and lock washers on top bolts with prevailing torque nuts (included in Kit).  Hand tighten nut.  Do not torque yet.

Prevailing torque nut Qty:4 PN: 9422298.  No washer required here.

 

Step 6

Replace bottom 3/8 bolts with 5/16-18 bolt, washer, and nut included in the kit.  Add a 3/8 washerspacer between the frames on the WALL SIDE ONLY.  Hand tighten nut.

 

Step 7

Use handle to unlock seatback and move it halfway between in-use and closed positions.  Release handle.

 

Step 8

With handle released move seatback up until recliners on both sides lock completely.   NOTE: For this step you may need to wiggle seatback near in-use position to make sure both recliner mechanisms lock.

 

Step 9

Fill gap between seat base and back frame using included spacers in the kit.

 

Step 10

Torque bottom bolts until snug + 1 turn.

 

Step 11

Check if seatback locks freely and pivots with relatively low effort.  If seatback function is good, continue to step 13.  Otherwise see Step 12.

 

Step 12 Do this only if seatback does not function after step 11.

Remove 3/8 washer-spacer from step 6.  Retighten bolts and test seat again.

If seatback still does not function place the washer-spacer on the aisle side of the frame.  Retighten bolts and test seat again.

 

Step 13

Torque side facing bolts to 44 ft-lbs.

 

Stop Block Installation

DO NOT INSTALL STOP BLOCK IF INDEX PIN IS NOT BENT

           

Step 14

Is the pinhole present in the sidebracket?

• Yes: Skip to Step 17.
• No: Proceed to Step 15.

 

Step 15_ SKIP THIS STEP IF INDEX PIN IS NOT BENT

Remove aisle side buckle.

 

Step 16

Align drill plate to the seat’s side and secure using included hardware.  (Items 5, 6, and 7).

Use a 1/16” drill bit to start hole at appropriate location.

Remove drill plate.

Drill 7/16 diameter hole.

 

Step 17

Install stop block using included hardware.  (Items 1, 2, 3, and 4)  Seatback must be locked and set to in-use position when installing the block.

Torque to 31 ft-lbs.

 

Step 18_ SKIP THIS STEP IF BUCKLE WAS NOT REMOVED

Reinstall wall side buckle.  Apply medium strength thread-locking compound to 7/16 bolt.

Torque to 60 ft-lbs.

 

 

Final Inspection

Step 19

Perform seat back lock inspection:

Video showing inspection: https://www.freedmanseating.com/instructions/go-es-foldaway A. Rotate seatback to in-use position.  Does it take significant effort to rotate?   No = Pass

1. Set the seatback between the in-use and locked positions and release handle. Slowly move seatback to in-use position.

Does recliner make an audible click noise indicating it is locked?  Yes = Pass

Does recliner handle rotate all the way down in one motion?  Yes = Pass

1. Apply forward and backward pressure to seatback. Does seatback remain locked? Yes=Pass
2. Set seatback to in-use position. See video.
   1. While applying forward pressure to back of seatback, lift release handle just enough to disengage seatback. Do not manually lift handle all the way.  The position of disengagement is somewhere between the handle’s locked and fully unlocked position.
   2. Release handle and move seatback back and forth near the in-use position.
   3. Does it sound/feel like the mechanism is ratcheting? No = Pass ii. Does it take significant effort to rotate seatback? No = Pass

 

In the case this procedure does not work please contact Customer Service:

Email: PartsDept@freedmanseating.com

Email Subject Must Contain:  GO-ES Foldaway Seat Recall

Seat Recall Form must be complete and attached

Terry Gogins Customer Service Department 773-524-2440 EXT 233

Anthony Lee Customer Service Department 773-524-2440 EXT 311

 

Find this and related documents here:

https://www.freedmanseating.com/instructions/go-es-foldaway

 

Warning Label Application

Clean seat frame in appropriate location and apply warning label (FSC PN: 94898) to approximate location as shown.

 

---

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE
NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
CAMPAIGN NO: 19V-313

 

May 17, 2019

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

MobilityTrans has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2014-2018 Ford Transit, Dodge Promaster, and 2014-2015 Ford Econoline vehicles equipped with Freedman GO-ES Foldaway Seats, part numbers 43705, 45467, 48923, and 75719.  When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop.  As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, “Seating Systems,” and 210, “Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages.”

In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.

Freedman Seating will repair the foldaway seat, free of charge.  The expected time to complete the seat repair is 30 minutes per seat.

These seats may have been installed in one or more vehicles sold to you. Please see the following enclosures:

*Understanding the problem-How to proceed
*GO-ES Fold Inspection
*GO-ES Fold Service Instructions
*List of vehicle(s) sold to you which have the potential to be affected by this recall

If after having attempted to take advantage of this recall you believe you have not been able to have your vehicle 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: 1-800424-9153); or go to https://www.safercar.gov.

We are required to report to NHTSA once a recall repair(s) have been made. Therefore, you are being asked to email confirmation of repairs with vin numbers to  geri@mobilitytrans.com.

 

Thank You,

 

Geri Brown

Geri Brown, CEO / Vice President
MobilityTrans
42000 Koppernick  A3
Canton, MI  48187

---

16 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKE	MODEL	YEAR
FORD	E-250	2014-2015
FORD	E-350	2014-2015
FORD	E-450	2014-2015
FORD	TRANSIT	2014-2018
RAM	PROMASTER	2014-2018

 

---

8 Associated Documents

Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-19V313-0601.pdf 2897.436KB

 

---

Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-19V313-8711.pdf 245.071KB

 

---

Recall 573 Report- Amendment 3

RCLRPT-19V313-1061.PDF 213.378KB

 

---

Recall 573 Report- Amendment 4

RCLRPT-19V313-8914.PDF 213.385KB

 

---

Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-19V313-7963.pdf 151.006KB

 

---

Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-19V313-5347.pdf 111.062KB

 

---

Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-19V313-7285.PDF 213.076KB

 

---

Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-19V313-9722.pdf 138.419KB

 

---

Latest Recalls Documents

For the Latest and Most Recent Recalls Information Visit the link below…

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=19V313&docType=RCL

 

---