NHTSA Investigation EQ09002

LONG CHIH TRAILERS MISSING TIRE PLACARDS

ON MARCH 11, 2009, LONG CHIH INDUSTRIAL COMPANY LIMITED (LONG CHIH), LOCATED IN TAIWAN, NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT CERTAIN TRAILERS THAT HAD BEEN IMPORTED INTO THE U.S., MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 9/1/2005 AND 12/31/2008, FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD (FMVSS) 110 IN THAT THEY DO NOT DISPLAY A TIRE PLACARD LABEL STATING THE REQUIRED TIRE SIZE, TIRE PRESSURE, AND MAXIMUM LOAD CAPACITY OF THE TRAILER.LONG CHIH, INDICATED THAT IT WOULD CONDUCT THIS RECALL, NOTIFY ALL U.S. CUSTOMERS AND PROVIDE THE REQUIRED LABEL FOR OWNERS TO APPLY TO THE TRAILER, ALONG WITH AN INFORMATION SHEET. ON 4/23/2009 IR LETTERS WERE WRITTEN TO 7 COMPANIES LONG CHIH IDENTIFIED AS U.S. IMPORTERS OF THESE TRAILERS.6 OF THE 7 COMPANIES PROMPTLY FILED NONCOMPLIANCE REPORTS WITH THIS OFFICE AND PROVIDED CUSTOMER INFORMATION TO LONG CHIH SO CUSTOMER NOTIFICATIONS COULD BE MAILED.ONE COMPANY, HASKELL CORP., STATED THEY NEVER PURCHASED OR IMPORTED THESE TRAILERS.AN ADDITIONAL COMPANY, STATE TRAILER SUPPLY, WAS IDENTIFIED IN CUSTOMS RECORDS NHTSA OBTAINED AS IMPORTING 100 OF THESE TRAILERS.INFORMATION REQUEST LETTERS WERE MAILED TO STATE TRAILER SUPPLY ON 4/23/2009 AND 7/21/2009, AND BOTH WERE UNANSWERED.AFTER PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, AND A FAX TO STATE TRAILER SUPPLY WITH THE INFORMATION THEY WOULD NEED TO FILE A NONCOMPLIANCE REPORT, STILL NO RESPONSE OR NONCOMPLIANCE REPORT WAS FILED.STATE TRAILER SUPPLY'S FAILURE TO REPLY TO THE IR LETTERS WILL BE REFERRED TO THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF COUNCIL FOR FURTHER ACTION.THIS EQ IS CLOSED.

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.