Investigations
SEAT BELTS WEBBING ABRADING ON FRAME
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE06057 - closed, opened 2006-11-21 and involving the FREIGHTLINER FREIGHTLINER.
NHTSA investigation PE06057 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2006-11-21 and currently closed. The subject of record is FREIGHTLINER FREIGHTLINER, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for FREIGHTLINER. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2007-03-30 - 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 PE06057 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 AFTER ODI RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM TWO FLEETS ALLEGING THE DISCOVERY OF NUMEROUS SEAT BELTS WITH CUT WEBBING AS A RESULT OF THE WEBBING ABRADING AGAINST AN UNDERSEAT METAL BRACKET. THE SUB..." 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 FREIGHTLINER files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AFTER ODI RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM TWO FLEETS ALLEGING THE DISCOVERY OF NUMEROUS SEAT BELTS WITH CUT WEBBING AS A RESULT OF THE WEBBING ABRADING AGAINST AN UNDERSEAT METAL BRACKET. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE CLASS "A" SCHOOL BUSES WEIGHING UNDER 10,000 POUNDS. THEY ARE REQUIRED BY FEDERAL STANDARD FMVSS 208 TO HAVE SEAT BELTS. AS A RESULT OF THIS INVESTIGATION, FREIGHTLINER WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL TO INSPECT ALL AFFECTED BUSES FOR SEAT BELT ¿CHAFING¿ AND WILL REPLACE DAMAGED BELTS AS NEEDED. ALSO, THE SEAT BELT RETAINER STRIP WILL BE MODIFIED OR REPLACED TO PREVENT FUTURE CHAFING. FREIGHTLINER EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL (BEYOND THE ORIGINAL INVESTIGATION POPULATION) TO INCLUDE APPROXIMATELY 10,251 ADDITIONAL BUSES HAVING GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATINGS GREATER THAN 10,000 LBS. THEY DETERMINED THAT THESE BUSES ARE ALSO SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE CHAFING ACTION. THERE IS NO FEDERAL REQUIREMENT FOR SEAT BELTS IN SCHOOL BUSES WEIGHING OVER 10,000 POUNDS. HOWEVER, SOME CUSTOMERS HAVE ORDERED SEAT BELTS AND SOME STATES HAVE REQUIREMENTS FOR SEAT BELTS. THEREFORE, FREIGHTLINER HAS AGREED TO ADDRESS THOSE BUSES EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO APPLICABLE FEDERAL STANDARD. THE RECALL ACTION TAKEN BY FREIGHTLINER RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS 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.
Other FREIGHTLINER Investigations
EVDM connector plate separation
Halogen Headlights May Cause Fires
Trolley bus circuit breaker fires
Rear Wheel Speed Sensor Failure
Intermittent Loss of Power Steering Assist
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.