Investigations
Hitch Receiver Fracture
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE10048 - closed, opened 2010-12-07.
NHTSA investigation PE10048 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2010-12-07 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2013-12-03 - 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 PE10048 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: "During this investigation, ODI identified 29 reports of cracked and/or fractured hitch receiver assemblies installed on the subject vehicles. The majority (27 of 29) of the reported hitch incidents occurred prior to the..." 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
During this investigation, ODI identified 29 reports of cracked and/or fractured hitch receiver assemblies installed on the subject vehicles. The majority (27 of 29) of the reported hitch incidents occurred prior to the initiation of PE10-048 in December, 2010. This investigation has been characterized by (1) Scant forensic samples available for inspection and review since most of the reported incidents occurred prior to ODI’s investigation and pertinent material has been scrapped; (2) Uncertainty regarding the contributory role of issues such as unintended hitch contact with road surfaces, use of hitches with offsets that exceed Winnebago recommendations; and (3) Other usage factors. Based on reported failures, the indicated failure rate for detected and reported cracking /fracture incidents associated with the estimated population of subject vehicles was found to be 0.10% after the vehicles had been in service for between 6 and 8 years. Reports were higher in calendar year 2007 (9 reports) than in succeeding years 2008-2010 (3-5 reports per year) and 2011 (2 reports) and appear likely to decline further due to diminished use associated with vehicle aging. ODI is aware of only one consumer complaint (ODI# 10368002) in its files describing a hitch receiver malfunction in Winnebago-Itasca vehicles. As of September 2013, Winnebago has reported that there have been no additional incidents of cracked or fractured hitch receivers reported since the most recent incident reported in May 2011. A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances. For more detailed information, see the attached closing report.
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.