The worst 1997 Spartan Gladiator problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
Recalls 4
Seat belts: front: anchorage
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: fire trucks. These fire trucks are all 4-door models which contain dual, forward facing passenger seats. The hardware utilized to mount the seat box to the cab floor and to the backwall structure, and also to mount the type 1 seat belt systems, was inadequate to meet the requirements of fmvss nos. 207/210, ""seating systems" and "seat belt assembly anchorages."
- Risk
- The seat box mounting/restraining hardware can loosen or fail allowing the seat/seat box assembly to break free of its mounting to the cab floor and/or backwall which could cause injury to the occupants of those seats.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the seat box mounting fasteners.
Recall number 99V118000 · Recall details
Suspension
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: fire trucks. If the driver accelerates in a turn above 20 MPH forward speed, the lock pin is actuated and causes the axle to resist returning to the straight ahead position after the turn is completed because the lock pin is binding on the clamp plate surface.
- Risk
- Engaging the lock pin in the lcmp plate hole at high forward speeds causes excessive wear in the lock pin and/or the clamp plate hole. Lane changes and other vehicle maneuvers will greatly increase contact frequency and causes wear, increasing the risk of loss of vehicle control.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the tag axles on these fire trucks.
Recall number 98V286000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: fire truck chassis equipped with telma retarder and wabco version 'd' anti-lock brake system (ABS). The ABS test mode wiring was incorrectly wired through the console resulting in the inability to read and clear the blink codes on these fire trucks.
- Risk
- The driver would not be able to read or clear these codes from the console.
- Remedy
- Dealers will perform a wiring change in the center console.
Recall number 98V109000 · Recall details
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: fire trucks with occupant side entry doors. A difficulty in latching the side entry doors to the full closed position, and/or, the doors may release to the secondary latch position. Also loose rivets can cause the latch control mechanism to bind not allowing the door to latch properly when shut.
- Risk
- The cab door could unlatch from its primary latch while the vehicle is in motion, allowing the door to open unassisted to the secondary latch position.
- Remedy
- Dealers will remove and replace the latch and actuator on the doors.
Recall number 98V077000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 1997 Spartan Gladiator 2
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
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Questions about the 1997 Spartan Gladiator
Is the 1997 Spartan Gladiator reliable?
Owners have filed 0 complaints about the 1997 Spartan Gladiator.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Spartan Gladiator?
There are not enough complaints to tell.
How many recalls does the 1997 Spartan Gladiator have?
4 recalls, covering seat belts, suspension and service brakes, hydraulic.
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