NHTSA Investigation PE04059

WHEEL SEPARATIONS

IN 2003, ODI IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM WITH WHEEL SEPARATIONS OCCURRING IN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES (EA04-009, EA04-019).IN AUGUST 2004, ODI EXTENDED THE INVESTIGATION ACTIVITY TO INCLUDE CARGO TRAILERS THAT HAD BEEN EQUIPPED WITH SIMILAR WHEEL END COMPONENTS AS THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLES THAT HAD EXPERIENCED WHEEL SEPARATIONS.HAULMARK HAS PROVIDED INFORMATION TO ODITHAT INDICATES A SMALL BUT PERSISTENT NUMBER OF SEPARATION INCIDENTS (ONE INCIDENT INMODEL YEAR 2003 VEHICLES AND TWO INCIDENTS IN MODEL YEAR 2004 VEHICLES) HAVE OCCURRED IN HAULMARK VEHICLES.THE OVERALL INCIDENT COUNT IS SMALL.HOWEVER, ALL THREE OF THE WHEEL SEPARATIONS OCCURRED WITHIN THE 1,323 MODEL YEAR 2003-2004 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS, WHEREAS NO WHEEL SEPARATIONS OCCURRED WITHIN THE 24,861 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS.ODI IS UPGRADING PE04-059 TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO REQUEST FURTHER INFORMATION FROM HAULMARK.ODI WILL ALSO CLOSELY MONITOR THE WHEEL SEPARATION PERFORMANCE AT HAULMARK FOR THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS.

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.