Recall 21V899 covers 260 2020-2022 Spartan Fire FC-94, Gladiator, and Metrostar emergency vehicles for drive pinion fracture. Meritor inspection and replacement are free.
Spartan Fire is recalling 260 2020-2022 FC-94, Gladiator, and Metrostar emergency vehicles because the rear axle drive pinion can fracture. If the pinion breaks, it can contact the brake drop hose, engage the parking brake, or activate the brake lights, which increases crash risk; the Spartan Fire dealer repair is free.
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What's wrong?
The rear axle carrier on 2020-2022 Spartan Fire FC-94, Gladiator, and Metrostar emergency vehicles houses the drive pinion shaft. That shaft is the gear input for the rear axle: it takes power from the driveline and turns the axle gears that move the vehicle. The carrier keeps that gear set aligned under load.
On affected vehicles in recall 21V899, the Meritor drive pinion was built with a variation in the spline tooling geometry. The splines are the machined teeth that let the shaft lock into the rest of the gear set. When that geometry is wrong, the pinion shaft can crack and fracture during a high-load event, leaving the axle unable to carry power through the gear set. A broken pinion can also damage nearby parts, including the spring brake air supply line.
There is no warning sign before failure. The issue can occur without warning, so a normal inspection by the driver is not a reliable way to rule it out.
Who's affected?
Spans FC-94, Gladiator, and Metrostar trucks across the 2020-2022 model years, all tied to the same drive axle.
| 2021 Spartan Fire FC-94 | drive axle |
|---|---|
| 2022 Spartan Fire Gladiator | drive axle |
| 2022 Spartan Fire Metrostar | drive axle |
| 2020 Spartan Fire Metrostar | drive axle |
| 2022 Spartan Fire FC-94 | drive axle |
| 2021 Spartan Fire Metrostar | drive axle |
| 2021 Spartan Fire Gladiator | drive axle |
| 2020 Spartan Fire Gladiator | drive axle |
| Units affected | 260 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged 3 field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific truck is included.
What's the safety risk?
A fractured drive pinion can contact the brake drop hose, unintentionally engage the parking brake, or activate the brake lights, increasing the risk of a crash. There is no warning sign before the issue occurs, so schedule the inspection soon and drive cautiously until the repair is complete. Repair is free at any franchised Spartan Fire dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2020-2022 Spartan Fire FC-94, Gladiator, or Metrostar is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Spartan Fire dealer to schedule the free rear-axle drive-pinion inspection and replacement that fixes the fracture risk near the brake drop hose.
- Bring the owner notice if Spartan Fire mailed one. If not, reference recall number 21V899 when you call.
- Call Spartan Fire customer service at 1-517-543-6400 with questions about scheduling or repair status.
- Limit use until the repair is complete if the vehicle shows parking brake or brake light problems.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Spartan Fire technician inspects the rear axle drive pinion and replaces it if it needs replacement under the recall instructions. The inspection, replacement parts, and labor are free under the recall. Spartan Fire has a general reimbursement plan on file for owners who already paid for a related drive pinion repair before the recall work was completed. Bring documentation of the paid repair to the service desk and ask how the plan applies.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| November 18, 2021 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| January 3, 2022 | Owner notification mailed |
| March 28, 2022 | Dealer notification began |
| April 1, 2022 | Dealer notification ended |
| April 4, 2022 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 21V899?
Recall 21V899 covers 260 2020-2022 Spartan Fire FC-94, Gladiator, and Metrostar emergency vehicles with a rear axle drive pinion that can fracture. Spartan Fire says the fractured pinion can contact the brake drop hose, engage the parking brake, or activate the brake lights, increasing crash risk.
What should I do if my 2020-2022 Spartan Fire FC-94, Gladiator, or Metrostar is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific emergency vehicle is included in recall 21V899. If it is, contact Spartan Fire customer service at 1-517-543-6400 and reference Spartan Fire recall number 21016. Meritor will inspect and replace the drive pinion as needed for free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Meritor will inspect the rear axle drive pinion and replace it as needed free of charge. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to provide the recall remedy at no cost for an included vehicle.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is unintended braking behavior or brake-light activation from a fractured drive pinion contacting the brake drop hose. Spartan Fire says that condition can unintentionally engage the parking brake or activate the brake lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
When were owners notified about recall 21V899?
Spartan Fire mailed owner notification letters on January 3, 2022. If you manage one of these emergency vehicles and never received a letter, check your VIN and call Spartan Fire customer service with recall number 21016.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/21V899000 |
|---|---|
| Spartan Fire customer service | 1-517-543-6400 |
| NHTSA recall # | 21V899 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 21V899000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 20, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →