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2009 Utility VS2RA

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 3 of 4 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Latches/locks/linkages complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 2010
Latches/locks/linkages

THULE UTILITY TRAILER IS EQUIPPED WITH BAD SAFETY CHAINS. THE CHAIN IS MADE OF PLASTIC COATED STEEL CABLE WITH THE CRIMMPED COUPLINGS. I PULLED THE CHAIN WITH MY HAND AND IT CAME APART. THIS CHAIN SUPPOSE TO KEEP TRAILER ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE IN CASE IT LOOSES BALL CONNECTION. TRAILER IS DESIGNED TO CARRY 1300 POUNDS OF CARGO …

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THULE UTILITY TRAILER IS EQUIPPED WITH BAD SAFETY CHAINS. THE CHAIN IS MADE OF PLASTIC COATED STEEL CABLE WITH THE CRIMMPED COUPLINGS. I PULLED THE CHAIN WITH MY HAND AND IT CAME APART. THIS CHAIN SUPPOSE TO KEEP TRAILER ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE IN CASE IT LOOSES BALL CONNECTION. TRAILER IS DESIGNED TO CARRY 1300 POUNDS OF CARGO LOAD, SO THE CABLE SHOULD BE MADE MUCH MORE DURABLE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT CABLE WAS CRIMPED OVER PLASTIC COATING THAT IS THE BIGGEST CABLE HANDLING VIOLATION. E-TRAILER, THAT SOLD ME THULE 205 UTILITY TRAILER SENT A REPLACEMENT CABLE THAT WAS MADE EXACTLY THE SAME WAY. I WAS POINTING OUT THIS PROBLEM TO CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER JULY, BUT SHE WAS WONDERING WHY ONLY MY CABLE BROKE, BUT NO ONE ELSE COMPLAINED. I TRIED TO EXPLAIND HER THAT IF SOME ONE HAS TO RELAY ON SAFETY CABLE, THESE CABLE WILL FAIL AND THEY WILL HAVE LAW SUITS. I AM THE ENGINEER THAT WORKS WITH CABLES AND I KNOW THAT EVERY MANUFACTURER OF COATED CABLE PUTS NOTES WARNING DO NOT CRIM ANYTHING OVER PLASTIC COATING AS IT WILL NOT WORK. APPEARS THULE CAN NOT READ INSTRUCTIONS, OR THEY ARE NOT TARNSLATED IN TO CHINESE WHERE TRAILERS ARE MADE. THEY SOLD A LOTS OF TRAILERS AND LOOKS LIKE EVERY ONE HAS THIS HIDDEN PROBLEM. I MADE MY OWN CABLES NOT WAITING FOR SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN.

NHTSA ODI #10321814

Official recalls

2

11V117000 · Power Train:axle Assembly

Feb 18, 2011

UTILITY TRAILER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 VS2RA AND MODEL YEAR 2008 VS2DX REFRIGERATED AND DRY VANS EQUIPPED WITH ARVINMERITOR AXLES. INSUFFICIENT TORQUE MAY HAVE BEEN APPLIED ON THE SPINDLE NUT ON THE ARVINMERITOR TL SERIES TRAILER AXLES INSTALLED IN THESE VAN TRAILERS WHERE THE STAKE WASHER FOR THE NUT IS STAKED IN A SINGLE LOCATION AS OPPOSED TO MULTIPLE LOCATIONS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: LOW AND/OR NO TORQUE ON THE NUT CAN RESULT IN EXCESSIVE END-PLAY IN THE WHEEL-END SYSTEM AND COULD PROGRESS TO A WHEEL SEPARATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: ARVINMERITOR IS WORKING WITH THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS TO IDENTIFY AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES THAT CONTAIN THE SUBJECT AXLES FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE SEE ARVINMERITOR DEFECT REPORT 10E-058. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ARVIN MERITOR AT 1-248-273-4641.

10V545000 · Suspension

Nov 5, 2010

UTILITY TRAILER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 VS2RA AND VS2DX TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH ARVIN MERITOR SUSPENSION SYSTEMS. THE SUSPECT SYSTEMS MAY HAVE MISSING WELDS AT THE INTERFACE OF THE LOWER SEAT BRACKET AND AXLE BEAM.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: MISSING WELDS COULD ALLOW THE AXLE TO ROLL OUT OF POSITION AND POTENTIALLY IMPACT THE HANDLING OF THE TRAILER SUCH THAT A DRIVER MAY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: UTILITY TRAILER IS WORKING WITH ARVINMERITOR TO IDENTIFY OWNERS WITH THE AFFECT SUSPENSION SYSTEMS. THE AFFECTED VEHICLES WILL BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ARVINMERITOR AT 1-248-435-0896.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.