Recall 15V543 covers 33 2001, 2009 Strick Van Trailer trailers for weak rear impact guards. Strick repair will be free once parts are available.
Strick is recalling 33 Van Trailer units from 2001, 2009 because the rear impact guards do not meet federal strength requirements. If another vehicle hits the trailer from behind, the guard can fail to stop underride and increase injury risk; the Strick dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
On the 2001, 2009 Strick Van Trailer, the rear impact guard is the metal guard mounted at the back of the trailer. Its job is to help stop a following vehicle from sliding beneath the trailer during a rear crash. The guard depends on its brackets and gussets to hold shape when hit.
In recall 15V543, Strick found that trailers built with rear impact guard gussets 46993 and 46994 had not been verified through the required strength test. When Strick tested that guard assembly, the results showed it did not meet the rear impact guard strength requirement. That means the guard is not strong enough to perform its intended job in a crash.
This is not a wear item with a dashboard light, sound, or handling change. There is no warning sign before failure. An owner or service shop can identify the issue by confirming whether the trailer has the recalled rear guard setup.
Who's affected?
Covers two non-consecutive model years tied to the same body or structural component.
| 2009 Strick Van Trailer | body or structural component |
|---|---|
| 2001 Strick Van Trailer | body or structural component |
| Units affected | 33 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific trailer is included.
What's the safety risk?
If an affected trailer is hit from behind by an automobile, the rear guard can fail to keep the automobile from traveling under the trailer. That increases injury risk for the automobile driver. Keep the trailer scheduled for the reinforcement remedy when parts are ready. Repair will be free at any franchised Strick dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2001 or 2009 Strick Van Trailer is included in this recall.
- Contact Strick customer service at 1-260-692-1300 for current repair-part status before scheduling the rear-impact-guard gusset reinforcement.
- Ask whether your fleet can add the gusset reinforcements free of charge once parts are released.
- Reference recall number 15V543 when you call or when a fleet maintenance shop opens the repair order.
- Keep extra space behind the trailer during stops and loading areas until the rear-impact-guard gussets are reinforced.
What happens at the repair
For affected trailers, Strick's repair adds reinforcements to the rear impact guard gussets. The source remedy was still under development, so do not treat this as a repair that can be scheduled now. Strick said owners received an interim notice starting in late October 2015 and a second notice after remedy parts became available. Once the repair is open for your trailer, the reinforcement work is free. Strick has a general reimbursement plan on file for eligible related repairs paid before the recall notice. Keep repair paperwork and contact Strick customer service to ask how to submit documentation.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| August 27, 2015 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| October 20, 2015 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 15V543?
Recall 15V543 covers 33 2001, 2009 Strick Van Trailer units with rear impact guards that fail to meet FMVSS 223 strength requirements. In a rear-end crash, the guard can fail to stop an automobile from traveling under the trailer, increasing injury risk. Strick's remedy is gusset reinforcement at no cost.
What should I do if my 2001, 2009 Strick Van Trailer is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific trailer is included in recall 15V543. If it is, contact Strick customer service at 1-260-692-1300 and reference recall 15V543. Ask whether remedy parts are available for the gusset reinforcement and how your fleet should arrange the free repair.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Strick's filing says fleets will add reinforcements to the rear-impact-guard gussets free of charge. Ask Strick customer service how to document the repair for your trailer or fleet records.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is underride protection failure in a rear-end crash. NHTSA campaign 15V543 says the rear impact guard can fail to prevent an automobile from traveling under the trailer, which increases injury risk for the automobile driver. The fix is reinforcement of the rear-impact-guard gussets.
When were owners notified about recall 15V543?
Strick's recall filing said owners received an interim notice starting in late October 2015, with a second notice after remedy parts became available. If you never received a notice, check your VIN and contact Strick customer service at 1-260-692-1300 with recall number 15V543.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/15V543000 |
|---|---|
| Strick customer service | 1-260-692-1300 |
| NHTSA recall # | 15V543 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 15V543000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 31, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →