Investigations
HOOD STRUT FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE05058 - closed, opened 2005-11-03 and involving the VOLVO VOLVO.
NHTSA investigation PE05058 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2005-11-03 and currently closed. The subject of record is VOLVO VOLVO, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for VOLVO. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2006-02-24 - 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 PE05058 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: "VOLVO REPORTED FOUR FIELD REPORTS AND 62 WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO HOOD STRUT FAILURE ON THE SUBJECT TRUCK/TRACTORS. THE HOOD STRUTS ARE A SINGLE ACTING OIL SHOCK THAT CONTROLS THE RATE OF THE OPENING OF THE HOOD. THERE..." 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. Related VOLVO files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
VOLVO REPORTED FOUR FIELD REPORTS AND 62 WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO HOOD STRUT FAILURE ON THE SUBJECT TRUCK/TRACTORS. THE HOOD STRUTS ARE A SINGLE ACTING OIL SHOCK THAT CONTROLS THE RATE OF THE OPENING OF THE HOOD. THERE ARE TWO STRUTS ATTACHED TO THE HOOD ASSEMBLY, ONE ON EACH SIDE. ODI'S CONCERN WAS THAT A FAILED HOOD STRUT WOULD ALLOW THE HOOD TO DROP ON ONE SIDE, POSSIBLY INJURING SOMEONE WORKING ON THE ENGINE. IN EXAMINING THE LIFE CYCLE OF HOOD STRUTS IN BOTH TRUCK AND PASSENGER CAR APPLICATIONS, ODI FOUND THAT ALL HOOD STRUTS REQUIRE PERIODIC REPLACEMENT DUE TO NORMAL ¿WEAR-OUT.¿ DURING THE INVESTIGATION, ODI DISCOVERED THAT WHEN THE STRUTS WERE REPLACED, THE PROBLEM STARTED TO OCCUR ON THE SUBJECT TRUCKS. THE FAILURES RESULTED FROM THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE HOOD STRUT. THIS FINDING WAS SUBSTANTIATED BY FLEETS CONTACTED FROM INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY VOLVO, AS WELL AS VISITS TO LOCAL DEALERS. DURING THIS INVESTIGATION, ODI PERFORMED THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS: A. REVIEWED WARRANTY/ENGINEERING DATA PROVIDED BY VOLVO; B. CONTACTED THE TWO INITIAL COMPLAINANTS TO GATHER MORE INFORMATION; C. CONDUCTED FIELD TRIPS TO AREA DEALERS TO INSPECT SUBJECT VEHICLES; D. CONTACTED TWO FLEETS FROM OUTSIDE THE WASHINGTON D.C. AREA TO DISCUSS THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THESE HOOD STRUTS; AND E. REVIEWED THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE MANUALS. BASED ON THE DATA PROVIDED BY VOLVO AND THE INFORMATION GATHERED BY ODI, IT IS APPARENT THAT SOME DEALERS AND OWNERS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLING REPLACEMENT STRUTS INCORRECTLY. DEPENDING ON WHICH MODEL TRUCK IS BEING WORKED ON, THERE ARE TWO DISTINCT WAYS TO MOUNT THE REPLACEMENT STRUT TO THE FRAME RAILS. FLEETS CONTACTED DURING THIS INVESTIGATION REPORTED NO FURTHER ISSUES WITH THE STRUTS ONCE PROPER INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS WERE PROVIDED TO THEM FROM VOLVO. ODI HAS DISCUSSED THE MATTER WITH VOLVO AND THEY HAVE DECIDED TO REVISE THE SERVICE MANUALS FOR THESE TRUCKS TO INCLUDE PICTURES OF BOTH HOOD STRUT MOUNTING ARRANGEMENTS IN EVERY SERVICE MANUAL, R
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.
Other VOLVO Investigations
Discrepancies in Required CFR Reporting
Ride Quality
Windshield Wiper Failures
Volvo Sleeper glass de-bonding
Central Electronic Module Failure
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.