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1998 Utility Trailer Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Serious

13 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.39 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious02V210001

Service Brakes, Air:Supply:Check Valve

FAILURE OF THE VALVE IN AN EMPTY OR LIGHTLY LOADED TRAILER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION COULD RESULT IN A HARD APPLICATION OF THE SPRING BRAKES, POSSIBLY LOCKING UP THE TRAILER WHEELS AND RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

SEALCO WILL PROVIDE A REPAIR KIT AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS TO ITS CUSTOMERS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SEALCO AT 602-253-1007 OR UTILITY AT 626-965-1541.

ON CERTAIN TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH SPRING BRAKE CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLIES, THERE IS A RECESSED AREA ON TOP OF THE VALVE IN WHICH A BRASS GUIDE PIN FITS DOWN INSIDE THE BODY OF THE VALVE AND IS HELD IN PLACE BY A STEEL SNAP RING. THE RECESSED AREA ALLOWS ACCUMULATION OF WATER, DIRT, AND/OR CHEMICALS TO BUILD UP BEHIND THE SNAP RING TO THE POINT WHERE IT WILL NO LONGER CONTAIN THE GUIDE PIN RESULTING IN A FAILURE OF THE AIR VALVE.

Moderate98V120004

Wheels:Rim

THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE FAILURE OF THESE WHEELS.

Remedy & full details

ACCURIDE/AKW WILL REPLACE THESE WHEELS.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: DUAL AXLE, SEMI-VAN AND FLATBED, TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH AFTERMARKET ALUMINUM DUAL WHEELS, 22.5X8.25, ONE-PIECE, TUBELESS, SUPPLIED BY ACCURIDE/AKW. CERTAIN DESIGN REVISIONS COMBINED WITH PROCESS CONDITIONS CAUSED FATIGUE CRACKS IN THESE WHEELS.

Complaint volume

13 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

1Crashes
1Fires
0Injuries
0Deaths

Across 13 complaints. Severity Index 0.39.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Tires · Tread/Belt2 · 15%Tires2 · 15%Equipment · Recreational …2 · 15%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…1 · 8%Power Train · Axle Assemb…1 · 8%Unknown Or Other1 · 8%Suspension1 · 8%Latches/Locks/Linkages · …1 · 8%
  1. Tires:Tread/Belt — 2 reports
  2. Tires — 2 reports
  3. Equipment:Recreational Vehicle/Trailer:Lpg Systems:Water Heater — 2 reports
  4. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components — 1 reports
  5. Power Train:Axle Assembly:Axle Shaft — 1 reports
  6. Unknown Or Other — 1 reports
  7. Suspension — 1 reports
  8. Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch — 1 reports
  9. Structure — 1 reports
  10. Service Brakes, Air — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (1) · 1996 (1) · 1997 (1) · 1998 · 1999 (1) · 2000 (2) · 2001 (2)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.