Daimler Trucks
North America LLC

Recall Campaign

September 2017
FL742A
NHTSA #17V-452
Transport Canada #2017-357

Subject: Freightliner and Western Star Tow Hooks
Models Affected: Freightliner Business Class M2, Cascadia, 114SD,
and 122SD vehicles; and Western Star 4700 and 5700 vehicles
manufactured from May 22, 2017, through June 20, 2017.

General Information
Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA), on behalf of its Freightliner Trucks Division and wholly owned
subsidiary, Western Star Truck Sales, has decided that a defect that relates to motor vehicle safety exists on
the vehicles mentioned above.
There are approximately 3,318 vehicles involved in this campaign.
Certain tow hooks may have been incorrectly manufactured, resulting in the material strength being lower than
required. If the tow hook fails during recovery operations, a sudden release without warning could result in
property damage or personal injury.
Tow hooks will be inspected and replaced if needed.
Additional Repairs
Dealers must complete all outstanding Recall and Field Service campaigns prior to the sale or delivery of a
vehicle. A Dealer will be liable for any progressive damage that results from its failure to complete campaigns
before sale or delivery of a vehicle.
Owners may be liable for any progressive damage that results from failure to complete campaigns within a
reasonable time after receiving notification.

Work Instructions
Please refer to the attached work instructions. Prior to performing the campaign, check the vehicle for a
completion sticker (Form WAR260).

Replacement Parts
Replacement parts are now available and can be obtained by ordering the part number(s) listed below from
your facing Parts Distribution Center.
If our records show your dealership has ordered any vehicles involved in campaign number FL742, a list of the
customers and vehicle identification numbers will be available in OWL. Please refer to this list when ordering
parts for this recall.
Table 1 - Replacement Parts for FL742
Campaign Number
FL742A

Part Description

Part Number

Qty. per Part

HOOK-FRONT TOW, PLUG-IN
Completion Sticker

R15-23338-000
WAR260

1 ea
1 ea

Table 1

Removed Parts
U.S. and Canadian Dealers, please follow Warranty Failed Parts Tracking shipping instructions for the
disposition of all removed parts. Export distributors, please destroy removed parts unless otherwise advised.

Page 1

Daimler Trucks
North America LLC

Recall Campaign

September 2017
FL742A
NHTSA #17V-452
Transport Canada #2017-357

Labor Allowance
Table 2 - Labor Allowance
Campaign
Number

Procedure

Time Allowed
(hours)

SRT Code

Corrective Action

FL742A

Inspect Tow Hook

0.2

996-1028A

06-Inspect

FL742A

Inspect/Replace/Destroy Tow Hook

0.4

996-1028B

12-Repair Recall/Campaign

Table 2

IMPORTANT: When the Recall has been completed, locate the base completion label in the appropriate location on the vehicle, and attach the red completion sticker provided in the recall kit (Form WAR260). If the vehicle does not have a base completion label, clean a spot on the appropriate location of the vehicle and first
attach the base completion label (Form WAR259). If a recall kit is not required or there is no completion sticker
in the kit, write the recall number on a blank sticker and attach it to the base completion label.

Claims for Credit
You will be reimbursed for your parts, labor, and handling (landed cost for Export Distributors) by submitting
your claim through the Warranty system within 30 days of completing this campaign. Please reference the
following information in OWL:
• Claim type is Recall Campaign.
• In the FTL Authorization field, enter the campaign number and appropriate condition code (FL742-A).
• In the Primary Failed Part Number field, enter 25-FL742-000.
• In the Parts field, enter the appropriate part number(s) as shown in the Replacement Parts Table.
• In the Labor field, first enter the appropriate SRT from the Labor Allowance Table. Administrative time will
be included automatically as SRT 939-0010A for 0.3 hours.
• The VMRS Component Code is 059-003-001 and the Cause Code is A1 - Campaign.
• U.S. and Canada -- Reimbursement for Prior Repairs. When a customer asks about reimbursement,
please do the following:
• Accept the documentation of the previous repair.
• Make a brief check of the customer’s paperwork to see if the repair may be eligible for reimbursement. (See the "Copy of Owner Letter" section of this bulletin for reimbursement guidelines.)
• Submit an OWL Recall Pre-Approval Request for a decision.
• Include the approved amount on your claim in the Other Charges section.
• Attach the documentation to the pre-approval request.
• If approved, submit a based on claim for the pre-approval.
• Reimburse the customer the appropriate amount.
IMPORTANT: OWL must be viewed prior to performing the recall to ensure the vehicle is involved and the
campaign has not been previously completed. Also, check for a completion sticker prior to beginning work.
U.S. and Canadian dealers, contact the Warranty Campaigns Department via Web inquiry at
DTNAConnect.com / WSC, or the Customer Assistance Center at (800) 385-4357, after normal business hours,
if you have any questions or need additional information. Export distributors, submit a Web inquiry or contact
your International Service Manager.
U.S. and Canadian Dealers: To return excess part inventory related to this campaign, U.S. dealers must submit
a Parts Authorization Return (PAR) to the Memphis PDC. Canadian dealers must submit a PAR to their facing
PDC. All kits must be in resalable condition. PAR requests must include the original purchase invoice number.

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Daimler Trucks
North America LLC

Recall Campaign

September 2017
FL742A
NHTSA #17V-452
Transport Canada #2017-357
Export Distributors: Excess inventory is not returnable.
The letter notifying U.S. and Canadian vehicle owners is included for your reference.
Please note that the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, as amended (Title 49, United States Code,
Chapter 301), requires the owner’s vehicle(s) be corrected within a reasonable time after parts are available to
you. The Act states that failure to repair a vehicle within 60 days after tender for repair shall be prima facie
evidence of an unreasonable time. However, circumstances of a particular situation may reduce the 60 day
period. Failure to repair a vehicle within a reasonable time can result in either the obligation to (a) replace the
vehicle with an identical or reasonably equivalent vehicle, without charge, or (b) refund the purchase price in
full, less a reasonable allowance for depreciation. The Act further prohibits dealers from selling a vehicle unless
all outstanding recalls are performed. Any lessor is required to send a copy of the recall notification to the
lessee within 10 days. Any subsequent stage manufacturer is required to forward this notice to its distributors
and retail outlets within five working days.

Page 3

Daimler Trucks
North America LLC

Recall Campaign

September 2017
FL742A
NHTSA #17V-452
Transport Canada #2017-357

Copy of Notice to Owners
Subject: Freightliner and Western Star Tow Hooks
For the Notice to U.S. Customers: This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act. For the Notice to Canadian Customers: This notice is sent to you in accordance with the
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA), on behalf of its Freightliner Trucks Division and wholly owned
subsidiary, Western Star Truck Sales, has decided that a defect that relates to motor vehicle safety exists on
specific Freightliner Business Class M2, Cascadia, 114SD, and 122SD vehicles; and Western Star 4700 and
5700 vehicles manufactured from May 22, 2017, through June 20, 2017.
Certain tow hooks may have been incorrectly manufactured, resulting in the material strength being lower than
required. If the tow hook fails during recovery operations, a sudden release without warning could result in
property damage or personal injury.
Tow hooks will be inspected and replaced if needed.
Please contact an authorized Daimler Trucks North America dealer to arrange to have the Recall performed and
to ensure that parts are available at the dealership. To locate an authorized dealer, search online at
www.Daimler-TrucksNorthAmerica.com / Contact Us / Find a Dealer. The Recall will take approximately one half
hour and will be performed at no charge to you.
You may be liable for any progressive damage that results from your failure to complete the Recall within a
reasonable time after receiving notification.
If you do not own the vehicle that corresponds to the identification number(s) which appears on the Recall
Notification, please return the notification to the Warranty Campaigns Department with any information you can
furnish that will assist us in locating the present owner. If you have leased this vehicle, Federal law requires that
you forward this notice to the lessee within 10 days. If you are a subsequent stage manufacturer, Federal law
requires that you forward this notice to your distributors and retail outlets within five working days. If you have
paid to have this recall condition corrected prior to this notice, you may be eligible to receive reimbursement.
Please see the reverse side of this notice for details.
For the Notice to U.S. Customers: If you have questions about this Recall, please contact the Warranty
Campaigns Department at (800) 547-0712, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, e-mail
address [email protected], or the Customer Assistance Center at (800) 385-4357 after
normal business hours. If you are not able to have the defect remedied without charge and within a reasonable
time, you may wish to submit a complaint to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590; or call the Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236
(TTY: 800-424-9153); or to http://www.safercar.gov. For the Notice to Canadian Customers: If you have
questions about this Recall, please contact the Warranty Campaigns Department at (800) 547-0712, 7:00 a.m.
to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, e-mail address [email protected], or
the Customer Assistance Center at (800) 385-4357 after normal business hours.
We regret any inconvenience this action may cause but feel certain you understand our interest in motor vehicle
safety.

WARRANTY CAMPAIGNS DEPARTMENT
Enclosure

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Daimler Trucks
North America LLC

Recall Campaign

September 2017
FL742A
NHTSA #17V-452
Transport Canada #2017-357

Reimbursement to Customers for Repairs
Performed Prior to Recall
If you have already paid to have this recall condition corrected you may be eligible to receive reimbursement.
Requests for reimbursement may include parts and labor. Reimbursement may be limited to the amount the
repair would have cost if completed by an authorized Daimler Trucks North America LLC dealer. The following
documentation must be presented to your dealer for consideration for reimbursement.
Please provide original or clear copies of all receipts, invoices, and repair orders that show:
• The name and address of the person who paid for the repair
• The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the vehicle that was repaired
• What problem occurred, what repair was done, when the repair was done
• Who repaired the vehicle
• The total cost of the repair expense that is being claimed
• Proof of payment for the repair (such as the front and back of a cancelled check or a credit card receipt)
Reimbursement will be made by check from your Daimler Trucks North America LLC dealer.
Please speak with your Daimler Trucks North America LLC authorized dealer concerning this matter.

Page 5

Daimler Trucks
North America LLC

Recall Campaign

September 2017
FL742A
NHTSA #17V-452
Transport Canada #2017-357

Work Instructions
Subject: Freightliner and Western Star Tow Hooks
Models Affected: Freightliner Business Class M2, Cascadia, 114SD,
and 122SD vehicles; and Western Star 4700 and 5700 vehicles
manufactured from May 22, 2017, through June 20, 2017.

Work Instructions
1. Check the base label (Form WAR259) for a completion sticker for FL742 (Form WAR260) indicating this
work has been done. The base label is usually located on the passenger-side door, about 12 inches
(30 cm) below the door latch. If a sticker is present for FL742, no work is needed. If there is no sticker, proceed with the next step.
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface, shut down the engine, and set the parking brake. Chock the tires.
3. Open the hood. Locate the tow hooks behind the driver’s-side bumper.
4. Remove the bolt that attaches the tow hook clamp, then remove the clamp. See Fig. 1.

1. Clamp Bolt
Fig. 1, Removing the Tow Hook Clamp Bolt

5. Remove the tow hooks and inspect the date code. See Fig. 2 for the location of the date code.

Fig. 2, Date Code Location

Page 6

Daimler Trucks
North America LLC

Recall Campaign

September 2017
FL742A
NHTSA #17V-452
Transport Canada #2017-357
5.1

If the date code is not 7137, no work is needed. Using the tow hook clamp and bolt, install
the tow hooks. Tighten the bolt 22 to 27 lbf·ft (29 to 37 N·m). Proceed to step 6.

IMPORTANT: If one tow hook has date code 7137 and the other tow hook does not, replace and destroy
both tow hooks.
5.2

If the date code is 7137, destroy the tow hooks by cutting them in half. Using the tow hook clamp
and bolt, install new tow hooks. Tighten the bolt 22 to 27 lbf·ft (29 to 37 N·m).

6. Close and latch the hood.
7. Clean a spot on the base label (Form WAR259). Write the recall number, FL742, on a completion sticker
(Form WAR260), and attach it to the base label to indicate this campaign has been completed.

Page 7