Hearth Record

Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch (TAP)

Vehicle equipment recall 04E-074. NHTSA received HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORP.’s report on Oct 4, 2004.

NHTSA’s own record, on nhtsa.gov

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The short answer

NHTSA received HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORP.’s report on Oct 4, 2004. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 20, 2026.

Every line below is in NHTSA’s own words, with its source beside it.

What’s wrong with it?

THE PLUNGER PIN COULD FAIL TO ACTIVATE THE TRAILER BRAKES DURING TRAILER/TOW VEHICLE SEPARATION.

CERTAIN HOPKINS TAP BREAK-AWAY SWITCHES.

THE PLUNGER PIN SOLD SEPARATELY AS MODEL NUMBERS 20009 & 20012 AS WELL AS BEING INCLUDED AS A PART OF VARIOUS BREAK-AWAY KITS WITH THE FOLLOWING MODEL NUMBERS: 20001, 20002, 20003, 20004, 20005, 20010, 20014, 20019, 20099, 20100, 20102, 20103, 20300, 20303, 17120009, 1170200001, 1170200005, 1170200099, 1530200003, 1530200004, 1540201000, 1550200003, 1580200004, 1590200004, 1610200003, 1700200003, 1770200003, 1800201000, 7020200001, 7020200002, 7020200003, 7020200004, 7020200005, 7020200009, 7020200010, 7020200012, 7020200013, 7020200099, 7020201000, 7020201001, 7020201002, 7020201003, 7020201004, 7020201007, 20005A, 20009A, S2000L, S20002, S20003, S20005, S20009, AND S20099.

IF THE O-RING IS NOT PROPERLY SEATED IN THE GROOVE PROVIDED, THE RESIN PLUNGER PIN COULD BE PLACED UNDER CONTINUOUS TENSILE LOADING CONDITIONS.

THIS COULD RESULT IN STRESS CRACKING OF THE PLUNGER PIN OVER TIME.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

  • NHTSA’s part: Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch.

What should you do?

HOPKINS WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE ALL ORIGINAL PLUNGER PIN ASSEMBLIES WITH NEW PLUNGER PIN ASSEMBLIES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 31, 2004. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HOPKINS AT(WE DO NOT YET HAVE A TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR THIS RECALL.)

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

  • How to reach the firm: ALSO, CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Which ones are recalled?

NHTSA counts 308,000 items potentially involved, across everything this recall names.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

  • TAP 20009NHTSA gives no dates made
  • TAP 20012NHTSA gives no dates made

Who is recalling it?

  • Made by HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORP..
Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

What the record doesn’t say

  • NHTSA’s recall file doesn’t say whether anyone was hurt.
  • Which ones, by part or lot: the recall’s report on NHTSA’s site gives them where the maker did; this file gives part numbers only where its maker listed them.
  • How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.
Source:

Hearth Record wrote these lines.

Sources

Source:

Vehicle, car seat, tire and vehicle equipment recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Copied on Oct 20, 2026.

How to read a record

Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

An example record, made up for this guide

An example nursing home

Made up for this guide: no real place is shown

Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

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Every fact names its source.

Who published it, when, and how often it changes sit beside each fact, with a link to the agency’s own file.

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