NHTSA Investigation PE08011

TRAILER LIGHT PLUG FAILURE

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF KENWORTH PRODUCTS BASED ON THEIR FIELD COMMUNICATION TIB # 34-31.KENWORTH INTRODUCED THE QCS II STA-DRY TRAILER CABLE IN MAY 2006.THE TECHNICAL INFORMATION BULLETIN STEMMED FROM FIELD FEEDBACK THAT INDICATED A FLEXIBILITY PROBLEM WITH THE QCS II CABLE CONNECTION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF LIGHTING TO THE TRAILER.ODI BELIEVES A LOSS OF LIGHTING WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE TRAILER'S VISIBILITY. FURTHER, THE RESULTING LOSS OF BRAKE LIGHTS IS INHERENTLY CRITICAL TO HIGHWAY SAFETY, DAY OR NIGHT.KENWORTH HAS UPGRADED THE TIB REPAIR TO A SAFETY RECALL.KENWORTH DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT BRACKET BETWEEN THE BACK OF THE QCS II MOLDED BOOT AND THE FRAME BRACKET, THUS PROVIDING ABETTER CABLE CONNECTION. THE DEFECT NOTIFICATION WAS SUBMITTED ON 4/25/08 (COPY ATTACHED).TRAILERS BUILT BETWEEN MAY 24 AND NOVEMBER 21, 2006 (MODEL YEAR 2007 TRAILERS) WILL BE REMEDIED.THE POPULATION TO BE REMEDIED IS 3,573 IN THE UNITED STATES.THIS INVESTIGATION 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.