Investigations
WHEEL WELD FRACTURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE02063 - closed, opened 2002-08-14.
NHTSA investigation PE02063 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2002-08-14 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2003-02-24 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE02063 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "ON FEBRUARY 19TH, 2003, CARLISLE TIRE AND WHEEL COMPANY (CARLISLE), THE OWNER OF CRAGAR CLASSIC WHEELS, SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT REGARDING 2,670 2001 AND 2002 CRAGAR S/S 17X8 WHEELS. THESE WHEELS WERE MANUFA..." 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
ON FEBRUARY 19TH, 2003, CARLISLE TIRE AND WHEEL COMPANY (CARLISLE), THE OWNER OF CRAGAR CLASSIC WHEELS, SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT REGARDING 2,670 2001 AND 2002 CRAGAR S/S 17X8 WHEELS. THESE WHEELS WERE MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO A PROCESS CHANGE INVOLVING THE WELDING OF THE STEEL RIM TO THE WHEEL HUB. PRIOR TO THE PROCESS CHANGE, INADEQUATE PENETRATION OF THE WELD TO THE STEEL RIM COULD RESULT IN AN INSUFFICIENT WELD. ACCORDING TO CARLISLE, WHEELS WITH INADEQUATE WELDS COULD CRACK AND FAIL TO SUSTAIN LOAD. THE DEFECT WOULD BE EVIDENT AT THE TIME OF FIRST VEHICLE OPERATION, AS THE WHEEL WOULD IMMEDIATELY FAIL. WHEELS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PUT IN SERVICE, WHICH ARE STILL IN WAREHOUSES BUT NOT IN USE BY CUSTOMERS WILL BE RECALLED FOR EVALUATION AND INSPECTED FOR DEFECTIVE WELDS.
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
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.