Vehicle recall 23V798000 · November 26, 2023
KME Severe Service, redundant Panther and 3 more models
A defect in the inversion valve may delay park brake engagement, which could allow the vehicle to move unintentionally.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- 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.
- Notes
- Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 23V798000
- Reported to NHTSA
- November 26, 2023
- Filed by
- Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp.
- Owner notification
- January 24, 2024
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 44
- Initiated by
- the manufacturer
- Components
- Parking brake
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- KME Panther (2021): 2021
- KME Predator (2021): 2021
- KME redundant Panther (2022-2023): 2023, 2022
- KME redundant Predator (2022-2023): 2023, 2022
- KME Severe Service (2021-2023): 2023, 2022, 2021
Has your KME been repaired?
Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.
NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. A KME dealer can also check your VIN. Recall repairs are free.