Hino Trucks is recalling 13,700 conventional body trucks because the ground cable between the negative battery terminal and frame may be too short, preventing one in five trucks from restarting after being turned off.
If a truck is unable to restart, it cannot be moved to a safe area. That increases the risk of an accident or collision, according to Hino’s report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The Toyota Motor subsidiary reported no crashes or injuries due to the issue, which was discovered by a dealer who found a broken ground cable connecting the negative battery terminal to the frame terminal.
All Class 6-7 conventional 2020-21 models built between January 2019 and April this year in Mineral Wells, West Virginia, are included in the recall. Hino expects 20% of the recalled trucks to have the issue.
Hino eliminated an extension bracket between the negative battery terminal and the ground cable without increasing the cable length.That may cause the frame side terminal to break due to fatigue during bending stress when tightened in an upward direction.
Hino said it did not consider the effects of eliminating the extension bracket during 2020 model year vehicle development. The extension bracket will be added to future builds when Hino resumes production following a suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dealers will add an extension bracket to the negative battery terminal on all recalled trucks. They also will inspect the ground cable terminal for damage, replacing the cable if necessary. Hino will send an interim recall letter to owners in mid-June. The exact timing of the recall is pending the availability of parts.
The NHTSA recall number is 20V-244.