Kme PANTHER recalls by model year
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
10 distinct recall campaigns
29,080 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 to 2026 model years. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2010: 1; 2011: 1; 2012: 2; 2013: 3; 2014: 1; 2021: 3; 2023: 2; 2024: 2; 2025: 3; 2026: 1
Year-by-year records
Recall history
10 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
06V407000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel
Reported: 2006-10-26 (October 26, 2006) · Model years: 2006
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS BUILT WITH CUMMINS ISL CM850 DIESEL ENGINES. THE CONNECTING RODS WHICH TRANSFER ENERGY FROM THE PISTON TO THE CRANKSHAFT ARE DEFECTIVE AND CAN RESULT IN SEIZURE OF THE PISTON PIN. A PISTON PIN SEIZURE CAN RESULT IN A MISSION-DISABLING ENGINE FAILURE.
Consequence: THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED THE AGENCY WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE CONSEQUENCE AS IT RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY.
Remedy: CUMMINS WILL REPLACE THE CONNECTING RODS FREE OF CHARGE (PLEASE SEE 06E037). CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT CUMMINS AT 1-800-DIESELS OR KME AT 1-800-235-3928.
NHTSA campaign record ↗13V187000 · Steering
Reported: 2013-05-09 (May 9, 2013) · Model years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. (Kovatch) is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Predator, Predator SS, Panther; 2010-2011 ARFF; and model year 2010-2013 Panther II emergency vehicles. The grease fitting in the steering column shaft may get caught in the column cover. The grease fitting could tear the cover which will impact the driver's ability to steer the vehicle.
Consequence: A sudden loss of steering control may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kovatch will notify owners and dealers will remove the grease fitting, free of charge. The safety recall began on May 20, 2013. Owners may contact Kovatch at 1-570-669-5173. Kovatch's recall campaign number is 2013-E01.
NHTSA campaign record ↗13V137000 · Parking Brake:Conventional:Air
Reported: 2013-04-11 (April 11, 2013) · Model years: 2012, 2013
Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. (Kovatch) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Predator, Predator SS, Panther, and model year 2011 Panther II emergency vehicles manufactured February 1, 2011, through February 28, 2013. These vehicles are equipped with Meritor axle assemblies that were built with disc brakes using MGM J24 series air brake chambers. In the affected axles, the brake chambers may leak pressure allowing the parking brake to drag when it is supposed to be released. Brake dragging could lead to overheated brake components.
Consequence: Overheated brake components could result in a fire.
Remedy: Kovatch will notify owners and will replace the actuators as needed, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin in May 2013. Owners may contact Kovatch at 1-570-669-5132.
NHTSA campaign record ↗14V455000 · Seat Belts
Reported: 2014-07-25 (July 25, 2014) · Model years: 2013, 2014
Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. (Kovatch) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Predator and 2014 Panther fire fighting vehicles manufactured October 2013 to March 2014, and equipped with IMMI-brand L9 seat belt buckles. When the button is pressed to release the seat belt, the latch plate can become partially engaged with the buckle, making the seat belt difficult to unlatch. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Consequence: If the latch plate remains partially engaged after the button is pressed, egress from the vehicle could be hindered which would increase the risk of injury in the event of an emergency.
Remedy: Kovatch will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt buckle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Owners may contact Kovatch at 1-800-235-3926. Kovatch's number for this campaign is 2014-SR01.
NHTSA campaign record ↗22V778000 · Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly
Reported: 2022-10-17 (October 17, 2022) · Model years: 2021
Spartan Fire, LLC (Spartan Fire) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Gladiator, MetroStar, FC-94, and KME Panther emergency vehicles. The tie rod clamps may have been improperly heat-treated, causing them to fail and allowing the tie rods to separate.
Consequence: Tie rod separation can result in a sudden loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tie rod clamps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 2, 2022. Owners may contact Spartan Fire's customer service at 1-517-543-6400. Spartan Fire's number for this recall is 22007.
NHTSA campaign record ↗22V871000 · Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly
Reported: 2022-11-23 (November 23, 2022) · Model years: 2021
Marion Body Works Inc. (Marion) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Spartan Fire Gladiator, MetroStar, FC-94 and KME Panther fire trucks. The tie rod clamps may have been improperly heat-treated, causing them to fail and allowing the tie rods to separate.
Consequence: Tie rod separation can result in a sudden loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both tie rod clamps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 13, 2022. Owners may contact Marion's customer service at 1-715-754-5261. Marion's number for this recall is 22V-778.
NHTSA campaign record ↗23V798000 · Parking Brake
Reported: 2023-11-26 (November 26, 2023) · Model years: 2021
Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. (KME) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Predator, Panther, and Severe Service fire trucks. A defect in the inversion valve may delay park brake engagement, which could allow the vehicle to move unintentionally. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 121, "Air Brake Systems."
Consequence: Unintentional vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the inversion valves as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2024. Owners may contact KME customer service at 1-800-235-3928.
NHTSA campaign record ↗24V507000 · Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm
Reported: 2024-07-02 (July 2, 2024) · Model years: 2023, 2024, 2025
Spartan Fire, LLC (Spartan Fire) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Gladiator, 2024-2025 Metro Star and 2024 KME Panther vehicles equipped with certain independent front suspension assemblies. The lower control arm retention bolts could become brittle and break after being tightened.
Consequence: A broken bolt head can become a projectile, increasing the risk of an injury.
Remedy: Spartan Fire will replace the bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2024. Owners may contact Spartan Fire customer service at 1-517-543-6400. Spartan Fire's number for this recall is 24010.
NHTSA campaign record ↗25V584000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
Reported: 2025-09-06 (September 6, 2025) · Model years: 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
Spartan Fire, LLC (Spartan) is recalling certain 2023-2026 Gladiator, Metrostar, FC-94, KME Panther, and 2024-2025 Predator vehicles. The actuator lever arm in the cab door latch may bind or become wedged, preventing the door from opening.
Consequence: A door that cannot be opened may trap occupants inside the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the door latches as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 20, 2025. Owners may contact Spartan customer service at 1-517-543-6400. Spartan's number for this recall is 25010.
NHTSA campaign record ↗24V799000 · Equipment:Mechanical:Integrated Jack/Leveler/Stabilizer:Hoses/Cables/Rods/Gears/Strut/Cylinder
Reported: 2024-10-24 (October 24, 2024) · Model years: 2025
Spartan Fire, LLC (Spartan) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Metro Star, FC-94, 2025 Gladiator, and KME Panther vehicles. A missing mechanical stop may allow the cab tilt cylinder to be overextended.
Consequence: Overextension of the cab tilt cylinder can cause the cab to drop, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the cylinder as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2024. Owners may contact Spartan customer service at 1-517-543-6400. Spartan's number for this recall is 24014.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2021 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 1100.0%ODI 11206194 · 29,080 miFULTON NY FIRE DEPT WAS NOTIFIED BY SYRACUSE FD OF AN ISSUE WITH THEIR KME SWING DRIVES, FULTON FD HAD OUR DRIVES INSPECTED ON 5/3/19 AND THE INFO BELOW WAS FOUND. SWING DRIVES FOR THE AERIAL WHERE INSPECTED. NO FILL PLUG COULD BE ACCESSED. DRAIN PLUGS WHERE ACCESSED. DRAIN PLUGS WHERE REMOVED. NO OIL CAME OUT OF THE DRAINS. INSIDE OF DRIVES WERE CHECKED WITH AN INSPECTION CAMERA. THE DRIVER SIDE DRIVE WAS FOUND TO BE FULL OF RUST. THE OFFICER SIDE DRIVE WERE FOUND TO HAVE RUST FORMING ON SOME PARTS INSIDE. THESE DRIVES ARE MAINTENANCE FREE… | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | Too few reports for a range | 29,080 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 11206194 · 29,080 miFULTON NY FIRE DEPT WAS NOTIFIED BY SYRACUSE FD OF AN ISSUE WITH THEIR KME SWING DRIVES, FULTON FD HAD OUR DRIVES INSPECTED ON 5/3/19 AND THE INFO BELOW WAS FOUND. SWING DRIVES FOR THE AERIAL WHERE INSPECTED. NO FILL PLUG COULD BE ACCESSED. DRAIN PLUGS WHERE ACCESSED. DRAIN PLUGS WHERE REMOVED. NO OIL CAME OUT OF THE DRAINS. INSIDE OF DRIVES WERE CHECKED WITH AN INSPECTION CAMERA. THE DRIVER SIDE DRIVE WAS FOUND TO BE FULL OF RUST. THE OFFICER SIDE DRIVE WERE FOUND TO HAVE RUST FORMING ON SOME PARTS INSIDE. THESE DRIVES ARE MAINTENANCE FREE… |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10 | 0 | 24V799000 | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | 25V584000 | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2021: 0 complaints · 2023: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Unknown Or Other |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.