1997 Fontaine Trailer Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1997 Fontaine Trailer, and owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1997 Fontaine Trailer
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Trailer hitches
Vehicle description: platform trailers equipped with king pins marked with cha, chn, & chp and supplied to fontaine by tefaco. The king pin separates as soon as the trailer is applied, allowing the trailer to separate from the tow vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the defective king pins.
2 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 Fontaine Trailer have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a fire. Complaints peaked in 2001 with 2 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“While driving, a nylon rachet strap became disconnected from the trailer and struck another vehicle.*jb (ohio traffic crash report#10-90-422)”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 5, 2001 · Equipment
“While driving on turnpike, a passerby signaled consumer to pull over, once he pulled over and got out of truck, he noticed smoke coming from the trailers fifth wheel axle around the left inside tire,”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 31, 2001 · Power train
Compare Fontaine Trailer model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Fontaine Trailer model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 Fontaine Trailer | 1 | 2 |
| 1998 Fontaine Trailer | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 Fontaine Trailer | 1 | 3 |
| 2000 Fontaine Trailer | 1 | 1 |
| 2001 Fontaine Trailer | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 Fontaine Trailer | 2 | 0 |
| 2003 Fontaine Trailer | 2 | 0 |
| 2004 Fontaine Trailer | 1 | 0 |
Checking a specific 1997 Fontaine Trailer
How do I know if my 1997 Fontaine Trailer has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 1997 Fontaine Trailer; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Fontaine dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 98V159000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Fontaine models
- Flat Bed Trailer1 complaints
- Ftw1 complaints
- Container Trailer0 complaints
- Dft0 complaints
- Edft0 complaints
- Eftw0 complaints
- Fontaine0 complaints
- Forklift Trailer HCIFL12SAT0 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.