NHTSA Investigation PE09002

HORTON FAN HUB FAILURES

THERE ARE 84,573 SUBJECT AND PEER (KENWORTH) VEHICLES.SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE MODEL YEAR 2007 THROUGH 2008 PACCAR TRUCKS BUILT WITH A HORTON FAN HUB ASSEMBLY.THE EA WILL INCLUDE PEER VEHICLES (KENWORTH'S WITH HORTON FAN HUBS) IN THE SUBJECT POPULATION.THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 1,645 WARRANTY CLAIMS ON THE COMBINED POPULATION.ODI SURVEYED WARRANTY CLAIM OWNERS AND FOUND THAT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THE FAILURES RESULTED IN A DISABLED VEHICLE.ODI ALSO BELIEVES THAT CERTAIN MODELS ARE MORE PRONE TO FAILURE AND FURTHER ANALYSIS IS WARRANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES IN FAILURE RATES. ODI IS CONCERNED THAT A LARGE DISABLED VEHICLE IS AT AN INCREASED RISK OF BEING STRUCK IN THE REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE.ODI IS ALSO CONCERNED THAT THIS FAILURE MODE PROVIDES LITTLE WARNING AND THEREFORE, A DRIVER HAS LESS OPPORTUNITY TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE TRAVEL LANES OR SHOULDER, ONCE A FAN SEPARATION HAS OCCURRED.ODI WILL CONDUCT FURTHER RISK ASSESSMENT DURING THE EA TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE WARNING, OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THE DRIVER AND THE INCREASED RISK OF THE TRUCK BEING STRUCK IN THE EVENT OF A BREAKDOWN.NHTSA HAS UPGRADED PE09-002 TO AN EA (EA09-008) TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER.

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.