🚗 AutoDefect IQ

2016 Pierce Saber problems, complaints & recalls

1
Complaints
8
Recalls
39
Service bulletins
0
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Deaths

Safety recalls (8)

Exterior Lighting:tail Lights 2021-03-30 · campaign 21V222000 · 4 vehicles

Defect: Pierce Manufacturing (Pierce) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Enforcer, Freightliner and Saber vehicles equipped with ECCO Holdings Code 3 7x9 Stop-Tail-Turn Reverse All-in-One LED stop, tail, turn, and reverse lights. The rear LED lights may be too bright. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Risk: The excessive brightness may negatively affect the vision of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Pierce will notify owners, and dealers will provide a filter kit to be installed in the rear lights, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 26, 2021. Owners may contact Pierce customer service at 1-888-974-3723.

Equipment 2018-01-11 · campaign 18V050000 · 123 vehicles

Defect: Pierce Manufacturing (Pierce) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Arrow XT, Enforcer, Quantum, Saber, Velocity, and Commercial emergency vehicles equipped with Hale pressure relief valves in the water pumps used for fire fighting. Rings securing the valves may corrode over time after exposure to water, causing the ring to fail and the pressure relief valve to open, reducing the water pressure available for fire fighting.

Risk: A reduction in water pressure may hinder fire fighting efforts, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Pierce has notified owners, and dealers will install a remedy kit, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Pierce customer service at 1-888-974-3723 or Hale Products at 1-800-533-3569. Pierce's number for this recall is 74B287.

Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly 2017-09-14 · campaign 17V570000 · 56 vehicles

Defect: Pierce Manufacturing (Pierce) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Arrow XT, Enforcer, Impel, Quantum, Saber, and Velocity vehicles, equipped with certain Spicer D-Series and E-Series steer axles. The castellated nut on the steer axles may not be properly torqued, allowing the tie rod to loosen.

Risk: If the tie rod loosens, it may disconnect from the steering knuckle, causing a complete loss of steering and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Pierce will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the torque of the castellated nut and tie rod, tightening it as necessary. If the tie rod stud and knuckle on units cannot be sufficiently torqued, the dealer will replace the knuckle and tie rod end assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2017. Owners may contact Pierce customer service at 1-414-832-3000.

Power Train:manual Transmission 2016-08-05 · campaign 16V585000 · 470 vehicles

Defect: Pierce Manufacturing (Pierce) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Arrow, Dash, Enforcer, Impel, Quantum, Saber, and Velocity fire trucks manufactured June 29, 2015, to June 30, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped with certain C20 and C21 split-shaft transmissions from Waterous. This transmission sends power to the wheels of an emergency response vehicle or power to an add-on unit such as a water pump used for fighting fires. A component within the shift unit may be damaged and a

Risk: If the power output cannot be changed, once the fire truck arrives at the scene, it may not be able to pump water to aid in extinguishing the fire, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Piece will notify owners, and dealers will remove the shift unit assembly and replace the clevis pin and retaining rings, free of charge. The recall began on September 2, 2016. Owners may contact Pierce customer service at 1-888-974-3723. Pierce's number for this recall is 74B277.

Equipment 2016-06-01 · campaign 16V390000 · 114 vehicles

Defect: Pierce Manufacturing (Pierce) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Arrow XT, Enforcer, Impel, Quantum, Saber, and Velocity emergency vehicles manufactured August 4, 2015, to August 24, 2016, equipped with pumps to provide pressurized water to aid in fighting fires. These pumps have 6" intake strainers that may have been improperly soldered during production and, as a result, the strainers may come apart during use, allowing parts of the strainer and debris to enter the pump, possibly damag

Risk: If the strainer and/or debris enters the pump, and the operator is forced to shut down the pump, reducing firefighting effectiveness, there could be an increased risk of injury.

Fix: Pierce will notify owners to check the strainer for missing solder at the joints. Any strainers missing solder will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2016. Owners may contact Pierce customer service at 1-888-974-3723 or Hale Products Customer Service Center at 1-800-533-3569. Pierce's number for this recall is 74B272.

Electrical System:wiring 2016-03-10 · campaign 16V148000 · 267 vehicles

Defect: Pierce Manufacturing (Pierce) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Enforcer and Saber emergency vehicles manufactured from March 3, 2014, through February 3, 2016. The clamps on the heater hose may have been improperly installed allowing engine coolant to leak into the passenger compartment.

Risk: If coolant leaks into the passenger compartment, it may contact electrical components causing a shorting of circuits and a loss of function of features controlled by those circuits, including loss of power to vehicle which may result in a stall and increase the risk of a crash. The hot coolant may also contact occupants and possibly cause burn injuries.

Fix: Pierce will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the hose clamp installation. Any improperly installed clamps will be corrected free of charge. The recall began on April 11, 2016. Owners may contact Pierce customer service at 1-888-974-3723. Pierce's number for this recall is 74B269.

Power Train:driveline:driveshaft 2016-03-02 · campaign 16V123000 · 239 vehicles

Defect: Pierce Manufacturing (Pierce) is recalling certain model year 2016 Arrow-XT, Dash, Enforcer, Impel, Quantum, Saber, and Velocity fire and emergency vehicles manufactured October 13, 2015, to February 9, 2016. The fastener cap over the bearing on the universal joint of the drive shaft may have been improperly tightened.

Risk: If the cap was not properly tightened, the cap may detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard. Additionally, the universal joint may separate and the vehicle may not be able to be driven, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Pierce will notify owners, and dealers will check and correct the tightness of all bolts for the universal joint caps, as needed, free of charge. The recall began on March 25, 2016. Owners may contact Pierce customer service at 1-888-974-3723. Pierce's number for this recall is 74B270.

Power Train:axle Assembly 2015-10-26 · campaign 15V706000 · 5 vehicles

Defect: Pierce Manufacturing (Pierce) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Arrow XT, Velocity, Enforcer, and Saber vehicles manufactured November 20, 2014, to September 29, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with front drive axles whose hex nuts on the flange yoke may not have been properly tightened.

Risk: If the hex nuts are not tightened to specification, the driveshaft may disconnect from the drive axle, resulting in a loss of propulsion and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Pierce will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the hex nuts, tightening them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November 12, 2015. Owners may contact Pierce customer service at 1-888-974-3723. Pierce's number for this recall is 74B266.

Service bulletins (39)

Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.

Electrical System 2026-09-22 · 74B345 · Service Campaign

pierce has updated our inverter installation policy to require a sub-feed breaker box with inverters that can supply over 2400w (20a @ 120v) in an unprotected output. in alignment with the national electric code (nec), this will ensure that any 15a or 20a inverter load will not exceed the current r

Unknown Or Other 2026-09-15 · PB_799 · Other

pierce is communicating a material change to the ball joint boots used in applicable service kit pn 2742031. this bulletin is intended to help dealer parts and service teams understand the reason for the change and how to identify the new ball joint.

Unknown Or Other 2026-09-09 · SB_795 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

this bulletin provides a procedure to update webpage and mqtt certificates in the telematics control unit (tcu) devices of pierce custom chassis apparatus equipped with command zone and with tcu software versions 6.0.8, 6.0.13, 7.4.3, or 8.0.0. apparatus with tcu software versions 7.0.1, 7.0.3, 7.2.

Unknown Or Other 2026-09-09 · SB_797 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

this bulletin provides a procedure for comprehensive update of the command zone (cz) telematics control unit (tcu), control module, and display devices in pierce custom chassis apparatus to enable next-generation clearsky intelligence connected solutions capabilities, provide a pathway for future ov

Unknown Or Other 2026-09-09 · SB_796 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

this bulletin provides a procedure to update telematics control unit (tcu) devices in pierce custom chassis apparatus equipped with command zone and with tcu software version 7.4.3. installation of new tcu webpage and mqtt security certificates is accomplished as part of this procedure. this update

Steering 2026-09-08 · PB_793 · Other

the previous bolt-in airbag and steering wheel design are now obsolete and will require replacement if the become damaged. a new clip-in airbag and steering wheel design have been implemented.

Showing the 6 most recent of 39 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.

What owners report

2019-03-28 · Unknown Or Other · 15,030 mi · 🔥 fire

“city of dayton fire-rescue firefighters were returning from a fire alarm when they noticed a "burning wires" smell in the passenger compartment of the 2016 pierce saber they were driving. as firefighters were attempting to find a safe location to stop the truck, all of the cab and dash lights began to flicker on and off repeatedly. the passenger …”

Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.

Other Pierce Saber years