STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THE FRONT RAIL EXTENSION MAY EXPERIENCE FATIGUE CRACKING NEAR THE AREA WHERE THE POWER STEERING GEAR ATTACHES TO THE FRAME. IF THE CRACK PROGRESSES THROUGH MOST OR ALL OF THE RAIL SECTION, STEERING SYSTEM FREE PLAY ACCOMPANIED BY METALLIC RATTLE NOISE WILL BE EXPERIENCED.
Remedy: AFFECTED VEHICLES WILL BE WELD REPAIRED AND A REINFORCEMENT ROD WILL BE INSTALLED OVER THE CRACKED AREA.
1,000,000 vehicles affected
STEERING:LINKAGES
INCORRECT STEERING LINKAGE COMPONENTS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH LIGHT DUTY STEERING LINKAGE TIE ROD AND CENTER LINK ASSEMBLIES IN PLACE OF THE SPECIFIED HEAVY DUTY COMPONENTS. THESE LIGHT DUTY COMPONENTS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE HEAVY DUTY KNUCKLE ARMS, RESULTING IN AN INFLEXIBLE (NO BALL JOINT MOVEMENT) ATTACHMENT OF THE TIE ROD TO KNUCKLE ARM. THIS COULD, EVENTUALLY, RESULT IN FATIGUE FAILURE OF THAT ATTACHMENT ON ONE OF THE COMPONENTS.
Remedy: THE STEERING LINKAGE SYSTEM TIE RODS AND CENTER LINK WILL BE INSPECTED AND, IF NECESSARY, LIGHT DUTY COMPONENTS WILL BE REPLACED WITH HEAVY DUTY COMPONENTS AT NO COST TO OWNER.
4,200 vehicles affected