Investigations
REAR SPRING TRAILING ARM BOLT LOOSE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE09050 - closed, opened 2009-10-07.
NHTSA investigation PE09050 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2009-10-07 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2010-01-07 - 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 PE09050 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 WAS INFORMED BY TWO SCHOOL BUS FLEETS THAT THEY HAD FOUND LOOSE BOLTS ON THE REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARMS OF THE AIR RIDE SUSPENSION ON SEVERAL OF THEIR BUSES. ODI VISITED THE LOC..." 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 AFTER ODI WAS INFORMED BY TWO SCHOOL BUS FLEETS THAT THEY HAD FOUND LOOSE BOLTS ON THE REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARMS OF THE AIR RIDE SUSPENSION ON SEVERAL OF THEIR BUSES. ODI VISITED THE LOCAL DEALER AND CONFIRMED THE LOOSE BOLTS. IF THESE BOLTS FAIL AND SEPARATE, THE REAR SUSPENSION CAN SHIFT, ALLOWING THE REAR END HOUSING TO MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. THIS COULD HAVE A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON VEHICLE CONTROL. IN LATE NOVEMBER 2009, DAIMLER FILED A SAFETY RECALL (09V-458) OUTLINING THEIR REMEDY PROGRAM. DAIMLER WILL INSPECT AND TORQUE ALL THE REAR SUSPENSION FASTENERS AS NEEDED. A COPY OF THE RECALL NOTIFICATION IS ATTACHED. THE ACTION TAKEN BY DAIMLER RESOLVES 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.
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.