NHTSA Investigation PE09040

RACK AND PINION FAILURE

A CONSUMER COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE AGENCY ON AUGUST 22, 2009, BY AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR LEASING A 2009 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA.THE COMPLAINT ALLEGES THAT IN APRIL OF 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES HE EXPERIENCED A SEAL RUPTURE IN THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY.A NEW SEAL WAS INSTALLED AND AT 56,000 MILES HE FOUND HIS RIGHT STEER TIRE COMPLETELY BALD.THE REPAIR SHOP IDENTIFIED AN INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE RAPID WEAR OF THE TIRE.ODI HAS IDENTIFIED EWR FIELD REPORTS RELATED TO FAILED RACK AND PINIONS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE REPORTS IDENTIFY EITHER AN INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY THAT RESULTED IN CRASHES OR A LOOSENESS OF THE INNER TIE ROD END OF THE RACK AND PINION RESULTING IN A POOR ALIGNMENT AND PREMATURE TIRE WEAR.INFORMATION RECEIVED DURING THIS INVESTIGATION FROM FREIGHTLINER DETAILED FAILURES OF THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLIES ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THESE FAILURES WERE THE RESULT OF THE LEFT HAND INNER TIE ROD END BECOMING LOOSE OVER TIME.WHEN THE TIE ROD BECOMES LOOSE, IT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY AND MAKE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO STEER.FRIEGHTLINER HAS CONCLUDED THAT A DEFECT RELATED TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY DOES EXIST ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND HAS INITIATED A SAFETY RECALL (09V-357) THAT WILL REMEDY ALL OF THEM.THIS RECALL INVOLVES REMOVING THE TIE ROD AND ADDING A COMPOUND TO IT THAT WILL PREVENT THE TIE ROD FROM COMING LOOSE OVER TIME.A COPY OF THE RECALL IS ATTACHED.FREIGHTLINER'S ACTION RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION AND, THEREFORE, 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.