NHTSA Investigation EA07005

WHEEL SEPARATION DUE TO SPOKE FRACTURE

ALL OF THE WHEEL SEPARATION INCIDENTS IDENTIFIED IN EA07-005 HAVE INVOLVED WHEELS SUBJECTED TO AFTERMARKET CHROMING IN CALIFORNIA.METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF AFTERMARKET CHROMED WHEELS OBTAINED FROM INCIDENT VEHICLES SHOWED SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN MATERIAL PROPERTIES THAT CAN INCREASE THE CHANCE OF STRUCTURAL FAILURE.NISSAN HAS ISSUED SEVERAL COMMUNICATIONS TO DEALERS, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER ODI'S INVESTIGATION BEGAN WITH PE06-050, WARNING AGAINST THE PRACTICE OF CHROMING WHEELS.NISSAN HAS ADVISED ODI THAT IT WILL BE SENDING ANOTHER COMMUNICATION THIS YEAR THAT REPEATS THE WARNINGS AGAINST AFTERMARKET CHROMING. NO DEFECT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT NISSAN WHEELS.THERE HAVE BEEN NO WHEEL SEPARATION INCIDENTS INVOLVING THOSE WHEELS AND THEY PASSED THE SAE RADIAL FATIGUE, CORNERING AND SIDE IMPACT TESTS CONDUCTED BY VRTC.WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW COMPLAINTS, WARRANTY CLAIMS AND SURVEY RESPONSES INDICATING CRACKS IN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WHEELS, THEY ARE FEW IN NUMBER, OFTEN EXHIBIT EVIDENCE OF IMPACT DAMAGE AND MAY SOMETIMES INVOLVE CRACKS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS OF THE WHEEL.AT THIS TIME, IN VIEW OF THE LIMITED INCIDENCE OF THE CRACKS AND THE FACT THAT THE CRACKS DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE PROGRESSED, FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES ON THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE WHEELS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CLOSING RESUME.

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.