Heavy vehicle safety action
31 March 2006
New information narrows scope of heavy vehicle safety action
Technical information provided by Ford New Zealand has allowed Land Transport New Zealand to limit the scope of a safety action announced on 20 March ordering Ford ‘R’ and ‘D’ Series heavy vehicles to be removed from the road.
Ford D-Series heavy vehicles may
return to the road
D-series vehicles, most of which are
trucks, are no longer affected by the safety action, and may
return to the road. This means at least 2,000 vehicles may
return to normal operations.
R-Series vehicles with
single drag link assemblies may return to the
road
R-series vehicles with single drag link assemblies
are no longer affected by the safety action and may return
to the road. Check sheets previously provided to operators
by Land Transport NZ may be used to confirm that the
vehicles are fitted with a single drag link.
R-series vehicles with double (front and rear) drag link assembles must not be driven until inspected and passed
R-series vehicles with double (front and rear) drag links and manufactured between 1968 and 1979 remain affected by the safety action. These vehicles must not be operated on the road until they are inspected by an independent heavy vehicle mechanic and cleared to return to the road. These vehicles include 133 buses, 73 motorhomes and 11 trucks.
Land Transport NZ will notify individual owners of affected vehicles by telephone and mail from Monday, 3 April 2006.
ENDS