Hearth Record

Trailer hitches (Kelsey Hayes)

Vehicle recall 79V-157. NHTSA received KELSEY-HAYES COMPANY’s report on Jun 19, 1979.

NHTSA’s own record, on nhtsa.gov

Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. NHTSA’s own record is on nhtsa.gov.

The short answer

NHTSA received KELSEY-HAYES COMPANY’s report on Jun 19, 1979. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 24, 2026.

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

What’s wrong with it?

The notice gives no hazard in a field of its own.

THE COMBINED REAR BUMPER AND TRAILER HITCH MOUNT WELDS MAY DEVELOP CRACKS DUE TO STRESSES GENERATED IN NORMAL SERVICE.

CRACKS COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE MOUNTING BRACKET, CAUSING PARTIAL OR TOTAL SEPARATION OF THE TRAILER FROM THE TOWING VEHICLE.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 24, 2026. Updated daily.

  • NHTSA’s part: Trailer hitches.

What should you do?

REPLACEMENT REAR BUMPERS AND HITCH MOUNTING BRACKETS WILL BE PROVIDED, OR VEHICLES MAY BE RETURNED TO THE PLANT FOR INSTALLATION BY MANUFACTURER.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 24, 2026. Updated daily.

  • How to reach the firm: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TRUCKS.SYSTEM: EQUIPMENT; BUMPER AND TRAILER HITCH MOUNTING BRACKET, WELDS.CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: PARTIAL OR TOTAL TRAILER SEPARATION MAY CAUSE LOSS OFVEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
  • Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.

Which ones are recalled?

NHTSA counts 27 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 24, 2026. Updated daily.

  • Kelsey Hayes Kelsey Hayesand 1979, before the model years listed here
  • Kelsey Hayes WT66and 1979, before the model years listed here

Who is recalling it?

  • Made by KELSEY-HAYES COMPANY.
Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 24, 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

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 24, 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.

From the homeNone yet. Replies and paid listings aren’t open, and when they open they will sit here, below the record.

1 of 4

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.

Sign in

A free account keeps your watch list, shortlists, comparisons and saved searches on every device, and can email you when something you watch changes. Browsing never needs one.