Recall 16V742 covers 44 2014-2015 Supreme service vehicles for lift-gate chain failure. Repair is free at any franchised Supreme dealer.
Supreme is recalling 44 2014-2015 Spartan Truck Body, Signature Van, Kold King, and Iner-City vehicles because Thieman TVL 12/16 liftgate roller chains can fail. If either roller chain fails, that side of the platform drops to the ground without notice, creating an uneven surface and increasing injury risk; the dealer repair is free.
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What's wrong?
The lift gate on affected 2014-2015 Supreme Spartan Truck Body, Signature Van, Kold King, and Iner-City vehicles is the powered platform at the rear of the body. It raises and lowers freight so cargo can move between the ground and the cargo floor. The Thieman Tailgates TVL 12/16 series unit uses roller chains to support that lift gate as it moves.
On these vehicles, the roller chains were made with defective material supplied to Thieman Tailgates. A chain that is not strong enough for the lift gate load can break instead of holding the platform through its travel. Once the chain fails, the lift gate no longer has the support it was designed to have.
There is no warning sign before failure. Do not rely on noise, slower lift movement, or visible damage as a clear advance notice; the recall exists because the chain material itself is the problem.
Who's affected?
Covers four Supreme body configurations across the 2014 and 2015 model years, all tied to the same liftgate/body-structure component.
| 2015 Supreme Spartan Truck Body | body structure |
|---|---|
| 2015 Supreme Signature Van | body structure |
| 2014 Supreme Spartan Truck Body | body structure |
| 2015 Supreme Kold King | body structure |
| 2014 Supreme Signature Van | body structure |
| 2015 Supreme Iner-City | body structure |
| 2014 Supreme Iner-City | body structure |
| 2014 Supreme Kold King | body structure |
| Units affected | 44 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
The year and model narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific vehicle is included.
What's the safety risk?
If either roller chain fails, one side of the liftgate platform drops immediately to the ground. That creates an uneven surface and increases the risk of injury. There is no warning sign before the platform drops. Repair is free at any franchised Supreme dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2014-2015 Supreme Spartan Truck Body, Signature Van, Kold King, or Iner-City is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Supreme dealer to schedule the free lift-gate inspection and roller-chain repair that addresses the platform-drop risk.
- Bring the recall notice if Supreme mailed one. If not, reference recall number 16V742 when you call.
- Keep people off and away from the lift gate until the inspection and repair are complete.
- Call Supreme customer service at 1-800-842-4889 with questions about scheduling or repair status.
What happens at the repair
Supreme handles this recall through Thieman dealers. At the service visit, the lift gates are inspected, with attention to the TVL 12/16 series roller-chain support, and repaired if the inspection shows a defect. The recall repair is free, including parts and labor. Supreme has a general reimbursement plan on file for owners who already paid for related lift gate work before the recall repair was performed. Bring repair orders, proof of payment, and any lift gate diagnosis paperwork to the service desk so the claim can be reviewed under that plan.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| October 14, 2016 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| October 24, 2016 | Dealer notification began |
| October 24, 2016 | Dealer notification ended |
| October 27, 2016 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| October 27, 2016 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| November 22, 2016 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 16V742?
Recall 16V742 covers 44 2014-2015 Supreme Spartan Truck Body, Signature Van, Kold King, and Iner-City vehicles equipped with Thieman TVL 12/16 series lift gates. The lift gate roller chains can fail, causing one side of the platform to fall without notice.
What should I do if my 2014-2015 Supreme Spartan Truck Body, Signature Van, Kold King, or Iner-City is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 16V742. If it is, contact Supreme customer service at 1-800-842-4889 and ask where to take the lift gate for inspection and free repair by a Thieman dealer.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the recall repair to be performed at no cost. Supreme will notify owners, and Thieman dealers will inspect and repair the Thieman TVL 12/16 series lift gates as needed, free of charge.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is a lift gate platform drop without notice. If either the street-side or curb-side roller chain fails, that side of the platform falls immediately to the ground, creating an uneven surface and increasing the risk of injury.
What warning signs should I watch for?
There is no warning sign before the chain failure described in recall 16V742. Treat the lift gate as a recall concern until your VIN is checked and the lift gate has been inspected and repaired, if needed, by a Thieman dealer.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/16V742000 |
|---|---|
| Supreme customer service | 1-800-842-4889 |
| NHTSA recall # | 16V742 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 16V742000 |
Source documents
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 →