Bergstrom Parksmart HVAC Units in Freightliners Recalled
An electrical defect in a cab/sleeper heater-air conditioner has prompted recalls by the supplier and by the truck manufacturer that installed the units. An electrical defect in the wiring harness can create heat and the potential for fires, the manufacturers' notices say.
An electrical defect in a cab/sleeper heater-air conditioner has prompted recalls by the supplier and by the truck manufacturer that installed the units, according to notices from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The wiring harness defect in Bergstrom Parkmart units can create heat and a danger of fire, the recalls say.
“Inadequate contact between the mating surfaces of the electrical connector on the compressor end of the harness and the electrical pins on the top of the compressor can result in locally high electrical resistance and/or localized electrical arcing resulting in excessive heat at this interface,” said the Bergstrom recall issued in February.
The units were installed in 2015- and 2016-model Freightliner Cascadia tractors, and in March, Daimler Trucks North America followed with its own voluntary recall. Affected vehicles were built between March 4, 2014, and Nov. 9, 2015, DTNA said. Owners should contact Freightliner dealers for no-charge inspection and corrective work, which Bergstrom will pay for.
Prior to the recalls, DTNA had assisted Bergstrom in analyzing a small number of “thermal events,” NHTSA said. “Overheating… has resulted in a small percentage of potential fires (one tenth of one percent, 0.1%),” Bergstrom said. No injuries or deaths have been reported.
Truckinginfo asked Bergstrom if any other truck makes and models are affected, but the manufacturer has not yet responded.
More Safety & Compliance

Fatal Crash Exposes Toll Plaza Risks
An NTSB investigation found that last-minute lane changes and large speed differences at an Ohio toll plaza created a hazard the truck driver couldn't avoid in time.
Read More →
When Language Stops the Truck: The Return of ELP Out-of-Service Orders
English language proficiency rules for commercial drivers aren’t new, but renewed out-of-service enforcement has raised the stakes. Here’s what carriers need to know before a driver reaches a roadside inspection.
Read More →
A Camera Isn't a Safety Program. Here's What Brokers Are Screening for Now
Footage alone may not be enough to pass broker vetting processes. Here's what counts as a defensible safety program now.
Read More →
Marijuana and Trucking’s Drug-Testing Dilemma
Marijuana is getting stronger, laws are changing, and drug tests still can’t reliably establish impairment. What does that mean for truck drivers and the fleets that employ them?
Read More →
PrePass, Kodiak Connect Driverless Trucks to Roadside Enforcement
The system will allow enforcement agencies to verify Enhanced Inspection information and decide whether Kodiak’s autonomous trucks can bypass roadside screening sites.
Read More →
From One Generation to the Next: How Mentorship Builds Safer Truck Drivers
After three decades in trucking, Harold Perry shares what he's learned about driver safety, mentorship, and helping the next generation build confidence behind the wheel.
Read More →
FMCSA Pauses Biennial-Update Enforcement Amid Motus Transition
Carriers whose updates were due on or after June 1 have more time, while FMCSA works to stabilize its new registration system and warns of phishing sites impersonating its new carrier registration system, Motus.
Read More →
ZF Expands Commercial Vehicle Push in North America
ZF is expanding its North American commercial-vehicle presence with new transmission applications, electrification, trailer technology and autonomous-driving systems.
Read More →
Truck Drivers Need More Than Another Alert
Fleets have more visibility into truck health, safety events, and driver activity than ever. The next challenge is turning all that information into useful guidance for the person who has to decide what to do next.
Read More →
Tesla Wants a Self-Driving Semi. Are Cameras Enough?
Could Tesla’s camera-only autonomous driving technology work on an 80,000-pound Semi? In this commentary, HDT's Deborah Lockridge takes a look at Tesla, Cybercab, and how autonomous trucks see the road.
Read More →

