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1997 Utilimaster Walk-IN van
The 1997 Utilimaster Walk-IN van appears in 4 NHTSA recall campaigns (seat belts, electrical system and exterior lighting) and in 0 consumer complaints filed with the agency.
No consumer complaints for this model year are in the NHTSA file.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA. Recall text is the manufacturer's Part 573 report as filed with NHTSA. Complaint file through 15 May 2019; recall file through 29 Sep 2026.
Recalls by model year:
Recall campaigns
Defect, as filed: Spartan Motors USA (Spartan) is recalling certain 1991-2018 Utilimaster Aeromaster and Walk-In Vans. These vehicles were manufactured with front seat belts that do not have an emergency locking seat belt retractor or automatic locking seat belt retractor. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: Without retractors, the seat belts may not accommodate different size occupants, therefore the occupants may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Spartan will notify owners and will install seat belts with retractors, free of charge. The recall began on August 6, 2018. Owners may contact Spartan customer service at 1-800-582-3454. Spartan's number for this recall is 18019.
Filed by Spartan Motors USA (manufacturer campaign 18019).
Defect, as filed: On certain walk-in vans, a fuse was installed by ford. However, utilimaster installed a wire. The fuse is not compatible with the wire gauge installed by utilimaster.
Consequence: Should a failure occur in a vehicle component such as a fan, heated mirror and/or other ignition-hot option, the insulation around the wiring to the fan could melt.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with a replacement fuse. Owner notification began octoner 1, 2003. Owners should contact utilimaster at 1-800-582-3454.
Filed by UTILIMASTER CORPORATION.
Defect, as filed: Vehicle description: walk-in van trucks supplied to fleet accounts. The LED clearance lamps, mounted at a 30-degree set-back position, do not comply with two of the required test points of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Consequence: The clearance lamps do not meet the requirements of the standard.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with remedy instructions for this campaign and will be reimbursed by utilimaster for parts and labor costs involved. Owner notification began july 30, 2001. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact utilimaster at 1-816-765-2000.
Filed by UTILIMASTER CORPORATION.
Defect, as filed: When the vehicle is being driven, the force of the wind against the hood can force the hood behind the bumper allowing the hood to drop. This reduces the tension on the two rubber hold-downs which then become loose.
Consequence: If both tie downs come loose, the hood can separate during vehicle operation leading to a possible broken windshield and/or blocking of the driver's vision, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash..
Remedy: Dealers will add a metal bracket and a second bumper above and behind the original bumper so that the hood cannot be pushed or slip behind the original (bottom) bumper.
Filed by UTILIMASTER CORPORATION.
Each entry links to the NHTSA record. NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are free of charge at an authorised dealer; check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
No consumer complaints for this model year are in the NHTSA file.
Investigations
No NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation action in the current file names this model year.
Other Utilimaster Walk-IN van model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 284 |
| 1987 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 284 |
| 1988 | 2 | 0 | 985 |
| 1989 | 2 | 0 | 985 |
| 1990 | 2 | 0 | 985 |
| 1991 | 2 | 0 | 3,895 |
| 1992 | 2 | 0 | 3,895 |
| 1993 | 2 | 0 | 3,895 |
| 1994 | 2 | 0 | 3,895 |
| 1995 | 3 | 0 | 4,038 |
| 1996 | 4 | 0 | 11,028 |
| 1997 | 4 | 0 | 13,057 |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 | 9,925 |
| 1999 | 4 | 0 | 25,687 |
| 2000 | 3 | 0 | 22,957 |
| 2001 | 4 | 0 | 23,515 |
| 2002 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 3,194 |
| 2003 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 3,194 |
| 2004 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 3,194 |
| 2005 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 3,194 |
| 2006 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 3,194 |
| 2007 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 3,194 |
| 2008 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 3,194 |
| 2009 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 3,194 |
| 2010 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 3,194 |
| 2011 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 3,194 |
| 2012 | 4 | 0 | 10,841 |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 | 10,632 |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | 11,325 |
| 2015 | 5 | 0 | 11,228 |
| 2016 | 4 | 0 | 8,069 |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 7,918 |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | 7,728 |
| 2019 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 4,534 |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | 4,965 |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | 10,512 |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | 7,938 |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 359 |
Model years with a single campaign and fewer than 25 complaints have no page here; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record for that year.
All Utilimaster Walk-IN van model years · Utilimaster: 7 model lines
Questions and answers
How many recalls does the 1997 Utilimaster Walk-IN van have?
4 NHTSA recall campaigns name this model year; the most recent, 18V377000, was reported to NHTSA on 6 Jun 2018 and concerns seat belts:front:retractor. Across all model years the Utilimaster Walk-IN van line has 25 campaigns.
Is there an open NHTSA investigation into the 1997 Utilimaster Walk-IN van?
No NHTSA investigation in the current file names this model year.
What component do owners of the 1997 Utilimaster Walk-IN van complain about most?
No complaints for this model year are in the NHTSA file.
How do I get a recall repaired?
NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by the manufacturer's authorised dealers. Each campaign's remedy text above is the manufacturer's statement as filed with NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, downloaded 29 Sep 2026. Complaint counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; component figures count each component a complaint names. The NHTSA record linked from each campaign is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation flat files (recalls, complaints, investigations), public domain, files dated 29 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints). Complaints since 1 Jan 1995. Counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; per-1,000 rates divide a component's mentions by all mentions for the same group. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections and the methodology.