Known Recalls

Recall campaign · NHTSA 23V008000

Exterior lighting: tail lights

Gratimax, LLC filed this campaign with NHTSA on 2023-01-13.

Recall campaignNHTSA 23V008000

Exterior lighting: tail lights

Component
Exterior lighting: tail lights
Manufacturer
Gratimax, LLC
Vehicles affected
31
Reported to NHTSA
2023-01-13
Owners notified
2023-03-17

Defect description

Gratimax, LLC (Gratimax) is recalling certain 2013-2023 McElrath Trailers VX75 Xcel vacuum excavator trailers. The design of the rear impact guard resulted in the incorrect placement of the taillights. In addition, the guard may fail to prevent a vehicle from traveling under the trailer during a rear impact crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 224, "Rear Impact Protection."

Safety risk

Incorrect placement of the taillights may reduce the visibility of the trailer, increasing the risk of a crash. During a crash, a vehicle that travels under the rear of the trailer increases the risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will reposition the taillights and modify the rear impact guard, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2023. Owners may contact Gratimax customer service at 1-864-814-2220. Gratimax's number for this recall is 21434.

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.nhtsa.gov.

Scope of coverage

11 model years across 1 models.

ModelYears on record
MCELRATH TRAILERS VX75 Xcel2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.