Recall 16V524 covers 109 2014-2016 Polar Tank trailers for Bendix SR5 spring-brake valve machining defects. Polar Tank provides a free remedy kit.
Polar Tank is recalling 109 2014-2016 Dot 406 Tank Trailer, Dot 407 Tank Trailer, Dot 412 Tank Trailer, Mc 331 Tank Trailer, and Non-Code Tank Trailer units because certain Bendix SR5 spring brake valves have a machining defect. A delayed spring brake application can let a decoupled trailer roll away, increasing crash or injury risk; the Polar Tank dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The Bendix SR5 spring brake valve is part of the trailer parking brake system on affected 2014-2016 Polar Tank tank trailers. It controls air flow for the spring brakes, which are the brakes that hold the trailer parked after the operator pulls the dash valve button. When the valve works normally, air pressure releases in a controlled way and the spring brakes apply before the trailer is left on its own.
The problem is inside the valve body. During a supplier change, a check valve seat radius dimension was left out of a revised drawing, so certain valves were machined incorrectly. Under yard or off-highway parking conditions, that machining error can slow the application of the spring brakes. If the trailer is decoupled before the brakes finish applying, the trailer can roll away.
This slow-to-park condition can happen without warning. Before tractor decoupling, the warning sign is audible air leakage from the dash-mounted park control valve or the red glad hand when it is disconnected, and the leak continues until air pressure is depleted.
Who's affected?
Spans the listed tank-trailer types across the 2014, 2015, and 2016 model years, all tied to the same parking brake component.
| 2014 Polar Tank Mc 331 Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
|---|---|
| 2014 Polar Tank Dot 412 Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| 2015 Polar Tank Dot 406 Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| 2014 Polar Tank Dot 406 Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| 2016 Polar Tank Dot 412 Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| 2014 Polar Tank Non-Code Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| 2015 Polar Tank Non-Code Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| 2015 Polar Tank Dot 412 Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| 2015 Polar Tank Mc 331 Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| 2016 Polar Tank Dot 406 Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| 2016 Polar Tank Dot 407 Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| 2015 Polar Tank Dot 407 Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| 2016 Polar Tank Non-Code Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| 2014 Polar Tank Dot 407 Tank Trailer | Parking brake |
| Units affected | 109 |
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?
A delayed spring brake application can let the trailer roll away after it decouples from the tractor, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. Before decoupling, listen for air leaking from the dash mounted park control valve or red glad hand after it is disconnected. Treat that leak as a reason to keep the trailer secured and arrange repair. Repair will be free at any franchised Polar Tank dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2014-2016 Polar Tank Mc 331 Tank Trailer, Dot 412 Tank Trailer, Dot 406 Tank Trailer, Non-Code Tank Trailer, or Dot 407 Tank Trailer is included in this recall.
- Contact Polar Tank customer service at 1-320-746-2255 to confirm the free remedy-kit instructions for your trailer.
- Reference recall number 16V524 when you call, so Polar Tank can match your trailer to the SR-5 spring brake valve repair.
- Keep the trailer secured before decoupling, since the spring brake delay can let the trailer roll after it separates from the tractor.
- Use the Polar Tank remedy kit to repair the affected SR-5 trailer relay valve, or ask Polar Tank where to have the free repair completed.
What happens at the repair
Polar Tank's remedy is a repair kit for the affected SR-5 trailer relay valves. Once the remedy is available, Polar Tank will contact owners and provide the kit with instructions at no charge. The repair addresses the relay valve issue tied to delayed spring brake application while parking. The source says Polar Tank has a general reimbursement plan on file, so contact Polar Tank customer service with documentation for any related repair you already paid for before the recall remedy was provided.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| July 11, 2016 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| October 3, 2016 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 16V524?
Recall 16V524 covers 109 2014-2016 Polar Tank DOT 406, DOT 407, DOT 412, MC 331, and Non-Code trailers with Bendix SR-5 spring brake valves. The valves were improperly machined, which can delay spring brake application while parking.
What should I do if my 2014-2016 Polar Tank tank trailer is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific trailer is included in recall 16V524. If it is, contact Polar Tank customer service at 1-320-746-2255 and ask for the SR-5 trailer relay valve remedy kit and repair instructions.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. Polar Tank provides the remedy kit and instructions for affected SR-5 trailer relay valves free of charge.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is trailer rollaway after decoupling from the tractor. If the spring brakes apply late while parking, the trailer can move when the operator expects it to stay in place, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
When did the Polar Tank recall repair begin?
The recall repair began on October 3, 2016. Polar Tank said it would contact owners and provide a remedy kit with instructions to repair affected SR-5 trailer relay valves free of charge.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/16V524000 |
|---|---|
| Polar Tank customer service | 1-320-746-2255 |
| NHTSA recall # | 16V524 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 16V524000 |
Source documents
-
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 →