Investigations
WHEEL SEPARATIONS
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE05048 - closed, opened 2005-09-02.
NHTSA investigation PE05048 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2005-09-02 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2005-12-08 - 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 PE05048 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: "ODI OPENED PE05-048 AFTER LEARNING OF AN AUGUST 11, 2005, WHEEL SEPARATION INCIDENT FROM A MODEL YEAR 2005 EXISS MODEL SE-422 TRAILER EQUIPPED WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ONE DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BE..." 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
ODI OPENED PE05-048 AFTER LEARNING OF AN AUGUST 11, 2005, WHEEL SEPARATION INCIDENT FROM A MODEL YEAR 2005 EXISS MODEL SE-422 TRAILER EQUIPPED WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ONE DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PURCHASED. THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE A PRODUCTION LINE QUALITY ASSURANCE PROBLEM, GIVEN THE VERY SHORT LENGTH OF FIELD SERVICE. ON SEPTEMEBR 12, 2005, EXISS REPORTED THAT A WHEEL SEPARATION INCIDENT HAD OCCURRED FROM A MODEL YEAR 2003 MODEL "SPORT 307LQ" TRAILER ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2005 (CANADIAN OWNER). DURING THE INVESTIGATION EXISS IDENTIFIED SEVERAL RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED OR PLANNED INITIATIVES INTENDED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND CONSISTENCY OF THE WHEEL INSTALLATION AND TORQUING PROCESS AT THE PLANT. DUE TO THE LOW FAILURE RATE, ODI IS CLOSING THIS PE AND INITIATING A TWELVE-MONTH MONITORING PROGRAM (I.E., UNTIL DECEMBER, 2006) THAT WILL REQUIRE EXISS TO REPORT ALL NEWLY REPORTED WHEEL SEPARATIONS FROM EXISS VEHICLES TO ODI.
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.