Investigations
TRAILER TONGUE BENDING/CRACKING
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE05023 - closed, opened 2005-05-10.
NHTSA investigation PE05023 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2005-05-10 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2005-10-06 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE05023 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: "THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED BASED ON A CONSUMER COMPLAINT WHERE IT WAS ALLEGED THAT THE "A-FRAME" PORTION OF THE TRAILER WAS BENDING AND/OR CRACKING WHILE THE TRAILER WAS BEING TOWED. THEORETICALLY, A TOTAL A-FRAME FAI..." 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
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED BASED ON A CONSUMER COMPLAINT WHERE IT WAS ALLEGED THAT THE "A-FRAME" PORTION OF THE TRAILER WAS BENDING AND/OR CRACKING WHILE THE TRAILER WAS BEING TOWED. THEORETICALLY, A TOTAL A-FRAME FAILURE COULD RESULT IN A TRAILER SEPARATION, ALTHOUGH NO SEPARATIONS HAVE OCCURRED. ODI CONTACTED THE COMPLAINANT AND THE MANUFACTURER AND DISCOVERED 17 SIMILAR REPORTS. WEEKEND WARRIOR SUGGESTED THE TRAILERS WERE BEING ABUSED DURING OFF ROAD USAGE. SPECIFICALLY, THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT LOAD LEVELING SYSTEMS WERE NOT BEING UNHOOKED UPON LEAVING THE HIGHWAY AND, THEREFORE, THE A-FRAME WAS BEING SUBJECTED TO UNREASONABLE STRESS. ODI BELIEVES IT IS NOT ONLY FORESEEABLE, BUT ALSO REASONABLE, TO EXPECT OWNERS TO LEAVE THE LOAD LEVELING SYSTEM CONNECTED UNDER THESE SITUATIONS. AFTER REVIEWING DRAWINGS AND DISCUSSING THE REPORTS WITH WEEKEND WARRIOR, THEY HAVE AGREED TO INITIATE A SAFETY RECALL THAT WILL PREVENT FUTURE A-FRAME PROBLEMS. WEEKEND WARRIOR WILL REINFORCE (WELD) THE A-ARMS AND INCREASE THE STRENGTH AND INTEGRITY OF THE SYSTEM FOR ALL MODEL YEAR 2001 - 2002 FS TRAILERS. A COPY OF THE RECALL NOTIFICATION IS ATTACHED. THIS ACTION RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THE INVESTIGATION. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
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.