Investigations
LCI RV Entry Step Failures
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE15007 - closed, opened 2015-02-27.
NHTSA investigation PE15007 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2015-02-27 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2015-10-19 - 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 PE15007 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: "The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on four Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ). The VOQs report failures of the motorized entry steps used on some recreational vehicles. When extende..." 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
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on four Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ). The VOQs report failures of the motorized entry steps used on some recreational vehicles. When extended the steps reach out and down from the vehicle. In the retracted position the step platforms are stacked on top of each other in a compact package under the vehicle body. The gear used to actuate the steps can separate from the actuation motor allowing the steps to unintentionally extend or retract in an uncontrolled fashion. ODI was aware of one injury event prior to opening the investigation. An additional four injuries were reported to Lippert Controls Inc. (LCI) during the investigation. An Information Request Letter (IR) was sent to LCI in order to gather detailed information about the alleged defect. ODI analyzed the IR response data, simulated the failure on an exemplar set of stairs, and inspected broken parts. Complaint and warranty data indicated that the alleged defect was occurring at a significant rate. Constructing a test stand and recreating the failure mode clearly demonstrated the safety consequence of a separated drive gear. Extended steps with a separated drive gear retract when a vertical force is applied to the step. This retraction can capture an individual's foot or ankle as they ascend or descend the steps. Such an action can cause the individual to fall more than three feet to the ground. After analyzing the failure mode, the Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) suggested that the center drive gear bolt appeared to fail from a bending moment. Several conditions might contribute to this type of failure. LCI reported no design changes during the production of the subject components including the drive gear bolt. Through testing, LCI attempted to determine the root cause of the gear bolt failures, but voluntarily recalled the subject components prior to completing this testing and making this determination. This investigatio
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.