Great Dane recall 26V-656: Do Not Tow: Incorrect Plate in Coupler May Cause Trailer to Detach
An improperly coupled trailer may detach, increasing the risk of a crash.
Do not drive these vehicles
NHTSA lists a “do not drive” advisory for this campaign: owners are told not to drive the affected vehicles until the remedy has been completed.
Campaign facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 26V656000 (26V-656)
- Filed by
- Great Dane Trailers
- Report received
- October 6, 2026
- Component
- Trailer hitches
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 69
- Model years
- 2027
- Built between
- September 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026
- Recall initiated by
- The manufacturer
What is wrong
Great Dane Trailers (Great Dane) is recalling certain 2027 Champion dry van trailers. The upper coupler may have an incorrect bottom plate installed. The kingpin may protrude, preventing the trailer from coupling properly.
The risk
An improperly coupled trailer may detach, increasing the risk of a crash.
Why hitch defects matter: Separation at speed is the main risk, which is why safety chains and coupler hardware are regulated.
The remedy
Owners are advised not to use their trailers until the repair is completed. Great Dane will inspect and replace the upper coupler assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 4, 2026. Owners may contact Great Dane's customer service at 1-877-369-3493.
About the trailer hitch
Hitch campaigns cover the receiver, pin box, coupler, safety chains and mounting points used to tow or be towed.
Vehicles covered by campaign 26V-656
- Great Dane Champion 2027
What to do
- The manufacturer has told owners not to drive these vehicles until the remedy is done. Ask the dealer about towing rather than driving in.
- Enter your VIN in NHTSA’s lookup (below) to confirm that your vehicle is included and that the repair has not already been done.
- Call a dealer for the brand and book the repair. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V-656.
- Do not tow with the affected hitch until it has been inspected or repaired, and always connect the safety chains.
- Safety recall repairs are carried out free of charge by the manufacturer’s dealers. If you already paid for this repair yourself, ask the manufacturer about reimbursement and keep your receipt.
Check by VIN
A campaign rarely covers every vehicle of a model year. Enter your 17-character VIN to find the recall campaigns filed for your make, model and model year. The VIN is on the driver’s side of the dashboard (visible through the windshield), on the door-jamb label, and on your registration and insurance documents.
Is a recall still open on your vehicle? Only NHTSA’s official VIN check can say whether a campaign applies to your exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been done.
Your VIN is decoded with NHTSA’s public vPIC service to identify the make, model and year. It is not stored and is not added to any page address.
The official record
This page reproduces the campaign as filed with NHTSA. The NHTSA record is authoritative — if anything here differs, follow the agency.
Open campaign 26V-656 on NHTSA.gov