Investigations
WHEEL SEPARATIONS
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA05001 - closed, opened 2005-01-05.
NHTSA investigation EA05001 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2005-01-05 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2005-12-06 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
An Engineering Analysis like EA05001 is the deeper technical phase that follows a PE. NHTSA requests design, warranty, and field-failure data from the manufacturer, conducts its own testing when needed, and determines whether the evidence supports a safety defect finding that would compel a recall.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "DURING PE04-059, ODI IDENTIFIED AN APPARENT PROBLEM WITH WHEEL SEPARATIONS OCCURRING IN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES (EA04-009 AND EA04-019). IN AUGUST 2004, ODI EXTENDED THE INVESTIGATION ACTIVITY TO INCLUDE CARGO TRAILERS EQU..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time.
Investigation Summary
DURING PE04-059, ODI IDENTIFIED AN APPARENT PROBLEM WITH WHEEL SEPARATIONS OCCURRING IN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES (EA04-009 AND EA04-019). IN AUGUST 2004, ODI EXTENDED THE INVESTIGATION ACTIVITY TO INCLUDE CARGO TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH SIMILAR WHEEL END COMPONENTS AS THE RECREATIONAL TRAILERS THAT HAD EXPERIENCED WHEEL SEPARATIONS. (SEE EA04-032, KEYSTONE AND EA04-033 PACE AMERICAN). AS PART OF THIS INVESTIGATION, ODI, ON JANUARY 21, 2005, INITIATED A MONITORING PROGRAM AT HAULMARK REQUIRING THEM TO NOTIFY ODI OF ALL NEWLY REPORTED WHEEL SEPARATIONS. DURING THIS ELEVEN MONTH MONITORING PERIOD (THROUGH DECEMBER 2005), HAULMARK STATES THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO NEW REPORTS OF WHEEL SEPARATIONS FROM HAULMARK VEHICLES SINCE MONITORING BEGAN IN JANUARY 2005. ACCORDINGLY, ODI IS CLOSING THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS. 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 IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
About This Investigation Type
An Engineering Analysis (EA) is the in-depth phase following a Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA engineers conduct testing, collect data from manufacturers, and perform detailed technical analysis to determine whether a safety defect exists. An EA may lead to a voluntary recall by the manufacturer or, in rare cases, a mandatory recall order.
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.