NHTSA Investigation EA05001

WHEEL SEPARATIONS

DURING PE04-059, ODI IDENTIFIED AN APPARENT PROBLEM WITH WHEEL SEPARATIONS OCCURRING IN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES(EA04-009 AND EA04-019).IN AUGUST 2004, ODI EXTENDED THE INVESTIGATION ACTIVITY TO INCLUDE CARGO TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH SIMILAR WHEEL END COMPONENTS AS THERECREATIONAL TRAILERS THAT HAD EXPERIENCED WHEEL SEPARATIONS. (SEE EA04-032, KEYSTONE AND EA04-033 PACE AMERICAN).AS PART OF THIS INVESTIGATION, ODI, ON JANUARY 21, 2005, INITIATED A MONITORING PROGRAM AT HAULMARK REQUIRING THEM TO NOTIFY ODI OF ALL NEWLY REPORTED WHEEL SEPARATIONS.DURING THIS ELEVEN MONTH MONITORING PERIOD (THROUGH DECEMBER 2005), HAULMARK STATES THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO NEW REPORTS OF WHEEL SEPARATIONS FROM HAULMARK VEHICLES SINCE MONITORING BEGAN IN JANUARY 2005.ACCORDINGLY, ODI IS CLOSING THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.