2009 Utility Vs2ra: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2009 Utility Vs2ra
Only 4 defect reports have been filed with NHTSA about the 2009 Utility Vs2ra, which is too few to compute mileage percentiles or a risk score. The reports reported other body or interior problem.
When each failure gets reported
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other body or interior problem | body | 2 | 1 | — | 5k | — | 10.6 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 1 | 1 | — | 2k | — | 5.3 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 20k | — | 5.3 | $200–$1,500 | High |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other body or interior problem
A stoughton 40 ft hopper trailer incurred a frame failure under load at highway speed after crossing rr tracks. The identification of this trailer in incorrect in the required field for vehicle identification. "stoughton" is not an option on this site. *tr
Other suspension problem
Purchased an 8 x16 car hauler from quality trailers 4 less on november 10,2009. Trailer was used for hauling vehicles to and from shop location with numerous adjustments to receivers, hitches, tires, shocks, and stabilizer bushings on our 1985 ford f250 to try and adjust for a constant tail waggling issue. On july 8, 2010 we were hauling a1997 ford ranger with no engine in it back to our shop location. Upon turning into our driveway the rear axle on the trailer broke with the vehicle still on the trailer. When we looked to see why this happened we noted that the axle had been improperly welded. We contacted both quality trailers 4 less and lone wolf trailers who are out of alabama and the holder of the warranty for our trailer. After 3 days we received an email from lone wolf trailers admitting that they knew of some of the trailers having faulty axles . At this point in time after approximately 6 emails and 4 phone calls we are no closer to a resolution of this situation. We feel they need to be reported simply on the basis that they knew of faulty axle situations and yet they did not contact us the consumer to let us know of…
Other wheel or tire problem
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 united express trailer (n/a) with master track touring tires (n/a), size ft225/75/r15, DOT number: 9qm1. The contact stated that the front passenger tire blew while traveling approximately 60 MPH. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Recalls on the 2009 model year
NHTSA has issued 2 recall campaigns covering the 2009 Utility Vs2ra, affecting an estimated 285 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover power train:axle assembly and suspension. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
384 vehicles 2011-02-18- Defect
- Utility trailer is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 vs2ra and model year 2008 vs2dx refrigerated and dry vans equipped with arvinmeritor axles. Insufficient torque may have been applied on the spindle nut on the arvinmeritor tl series trailer axles installed in these van trailers where the stake washer for the nut is staked in a single location as opposed to multiple locations.
- Consequence
- Low and/or no torque on the nut can result in excessive end-play in the wheel-end system and could progress to a wheel separation which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Arvinmeritor is working with the vehicle manufacturers to identify and repair the vehicles that contain the subject axles free of charge. Please see arvinmeritor defect report 10e-058. The safety recall is expected to begin during march 2011. Owners may contact arvin meritor at 1-248-273-4641.
SUSPENSION
189 vehicles 2010-11-05- Defect
- Utility trailer is recalling certain model year 2011 vs2ra and vs2dx trailers equipped with arvin meritor suspension systems. The suspect systems may have missing welds at the interface of the lower seat bracket and axle beam.
- Consequence
- Missing welds could allow the axle to roll out of position and potentially impact the handling of the trailer such that a driver may lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Utility trailer is working with arvinmeritor to identify owners with the affect suspension systems. The affected vehicles will be repaired free of charge. Owners may contact arvinmeritor at 1-248-435-0896.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
Every year of the Utility Vs2ra
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
What the reports on file say
The complaints recorded against the 2009 Utility Vs2ra are other body or interior problem (2 reports, around 5k miles), other suspension problem (1 report, around 2k miles) and other wheel or tire problem (1 report, around 20k miles). With a sample this size these are anecdotes rather than a pattern, and they are shown because somebody looking at this exact car would rather see them than nothing.
Why this page is short
A model year needs about 8 reports before percentiles mean anything, and this one does not have them. Complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road, so a thin page usually means a rare car, a new car, or a car whose owners do not file.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed