NHTSA safety investigation
NHTSA Investigation PE11003
Preliminary Evaluation · Ford Motor Company · WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
An investigation is not a finding that a defect exists.
NHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
What NHTSA is examining
The agency's own description of the inquiry, quoted as published
Wheel Stud Fracture
On January 21, 2011, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE11-003) to investigate alleged wheel stud fractures in certain model year (MY) 2010 Ford Fusion vehicles.ODI sent the manufacturer an information request letter dated February 8, 2011 and Ford responded by letter dated March 25, 2011.Ford provided a supplemental response by letter dated July 15, 2011.To date, ODI is aware of 29 complaints related to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles, which now include certain MY2010 Mercury Milan vehicles that are the same or substantially similar to the subject Ford Fusion vehicles in regards to the alleged defect.In total, ODI is aware of 4 reported wheel separation incidents related to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles.The manufacturer's investigation into the root cause of the alleged defect is ongoing.Accordingly, this investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA11-009) to further study the alleged defect.
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.
Investigation details
Identifiers, dates and outcome as recorded by NHTSA
- Action number
- PE11003
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation (PE)
- Status
- Closed
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Component
- WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
- Opened
- Jan 21, 2011
- Closed
- Jul 26, 2011
- Associated recall campaign
- 11V574000
Vehicles named in this investigation
2 model years across 2 models
Being named here means NHTSA included the vehicle in the scope of its inquiry. It is not a statement that these vehicles have a defect.