Investigations
TOW HITCH/FRAME FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE06047 - closed, opened 2006-10-24.
NHTSA investigation PE06047 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2006-10-24 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2007-01-22 - 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 PE06047 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 THIS INVESTIGATION AFTER RECEIVING A CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRY AND DETERMINING THE EXISTENCE OF TWO FAILURES. ADDITIONAL REPORTS WERE NOTED ON THE INTERNET. THE REPORTS CLAIM THAT THE FRAME EXTENSION LOWER FLANGE..." 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 THIS INVESTIGATION AFTER RECEIVING A CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRY AND DETERMINING THE EXISTENCE OF TWO FAILURES. ADDITIONAL REPORTS WERE NOTED ON THE INTERNET. THE REPORTS CLAIM THAT THE FRAME EXTENSION LOWER FLANGE IS CRACKING AND ALLOWING THE HITCH TO BEND DOWN TOWARDS THE GROUND. MONACO HAD PREVIOUSLY PRODUCED A SERVICE BULLETIN ADDRESSING THIS MATTER. ODI SENT AN INFORMATION REQUEST TO MONACO AND HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH MONACO OFFICIALS. AS A RESULT, MONACO COACH INC SUBMITTED A 573 AND IS RECALLING THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. MONACO WILL REINFORCE THE FRAME EXTENSION FLANGE WITH TWO PIECES OF ANGLE IRON. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. ODI BELIEVES THAT MONACO'S ACTION ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM. ODI HAS EXCUSED MONACO FROM ANSWERING THE INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER. ODI IS UNAWARE OF THE NUMBER OF FAILURES, IF ANY REPORTED TO MONACO, SINCE THE INFORMATION REQUEST WAS UNANSWERED.
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.