Hearth Record

Service brakes, air: slack adjusters (Mertz)

Vehicle recall 11V-555. NHTSA received MERTZ MANUFACTURING, LLC’s report on Nov 10, 2011.

NHTSA’s own record, on nhtsa.gov

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The short answer

NHTSA received MERTZ MANUFACTURING, LLC’s report on Nov 10, 2011. 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?

IF THE SLACK ADJUSTER HOUSING WERE TO BREAK, THE WHEEL BRAKE TO WHICH THE SLACK ADJUSTER IS ATTACHED WOULD NO LONGER FUNCTION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE REDUCED BRAKING CAPACITY AND, IF MOUNTED ON THE STEER AXLE, THE VEHICLE COULD PULL TO ONE SIDE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

MERTZ IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 AND 2011 HALLIBURTON TRAILERS MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 2010, THROUGH MARCH 2011, AND EQUIPPED WITH GUNITE AUTOMATIC SLACK ADJUSTERS.

DUE TO AN INCOMPLETE “KNITTING” OF THE IRON AT THE TIME OF CASTING, INADEQUATE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SLACK ADJUSTER HOUSING CAN OCCUR, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE HOUSING TO BREAK AT THE HANDLE UNDER NORMAL OPERATING LOADS.

Source:

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

  • NHTSA’s part: Service brakes, air: slack adjusters.

What should you do?

MERTZ WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE SLACK ADJUSTERS WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 8, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERTZ AT 580-767-8465 OR ACCURIDE AT 1-812-962-5000.

Source:

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

  • How to reach the firm: OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .
  • Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.

Which ones are recalled?

NHTSA counts 257 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.

Source:

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

  • Mertz Halliburtonand 2010 and 2011, before the model years listed here

Who is recalling it?

  • Made by MERTZ MANUFACTURING, LLC.
Source:

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

What the record doesn’t say

  • NHTSA’s recall file doesn’t say whether anyone was hurt.
  • Whether one vehicle or seat has been fixed: only its maker, or NHTSA’s lookup with a VIN, can say.
  • This recall names only model years before 2015, which have no pages here. Your VIN, at NHTSA, says which recalls are open on a vehicle.
  • How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.
Source:

Hearth Record wrote these lines.

Sources

  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Recalls flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010).

    Released Oct 20, 2026 and checked Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

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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