NHTSA Investigation PE08055

FRONT LEAF SPRING BREAKAGE

ODI OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION IN SEPTEMBER 2008, BASED ON 18 WARRANTY CLAIMS OF FRACTURED FRONT LEAF SPRINGS. AT 2008 YEAR-END, INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE (ITE) HAS ADVISED ODI THAT AN ADDITIONAL 11 WARRANTY CLAIMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO DATE (TOTAL 29).ODI 'S INVESTIGATION HAS DETERMINED THAT A MANUFACTURING FLAW EXISTS IN AN INDETERMINATE NUMBER OF THE 1600 FRONT LEAF SPRINGS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JULY AND AUGUST, 2007 BY ITS SUPPLIER, HENDRICKSON, USA, LLC.INVESTIGATION HAS DETERMINED THAT FRACTURED SPRINGS HAVE BEEN DETECTED SOLELY BY VISUAL OR AUDIBLE INDICATIONS SUCH AS VEHICLE SAG OR TILT AND/OR FRONT END VEHICLE NOISE.EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON VEHICLE CONTROL IF AND WHEN THE LOWER LEAF OF THE TWO LEAF FRONT SPRING ASSEMBLY FRACTURES IN THE SUSPECT VEHICLES SINCE THE INTACT UPPER LEAF SPRING CONTINUES TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE LOAD BEARING SUPPORT AND FRONT AXLE ALIGNMENT FOR THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF LOSS OF CONTROL AND NO CRASHES.THEREFORE, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES IS NOT CURRENTLY WARRANTED.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 ON THE VEHICLES IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR FIELD REPORTS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IF INDICATED.

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.