Investigations
Hitch Failure
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE15034 - closed, opened 2015-10-16.
NHTSA investigation PE15034 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2015-10-16 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2016-03-02 - 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 PE15034 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 Preliminary Evaluation (PE) based on an owner report and the lack of required TREAD act reporting (49 CFR 579) from Bear Trailer MFG (Bear). The Vehicle Owner's Quest..." 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 Preliminary Evaluation (PE) based on an owner report and the lack of required TREAD act reporting (49 CFR 579) from Bear Trailer MFG (Bear). The Vehicle Owner's Questionnaire (VOQ) reported a crack in the trailer tongue. This is a critical component for the safe operation of a trailer. The subject component of this investigation is a patented design known as the Trail Guard tongue. This is a removable tongue which includes the electrical harness and serves two purposes. Removal of the tongue shortens the trailer, reducing the amount of storage space required and also prevents trailer theft. With the tongue and coupler removed it is impossible to connect a tow vehicle to the trailer or operate the trailer's electrical system. ODI sent Bear an Information Request (IR) letter to gather relevant data about the subject component and vehicles. Bear responded to the letter and addressed all questions from ODI. Bear also took action addressing its failure to comply with TREAD reporting requirements. The VOQ reported a cracked tongue. Vehicle control was maintained. The failure was discovered prior to complete separation. There were no other known failures of the subject component on 2,338 trailers with over 6 years of exposure. ODI reviewed the patent designs as submitted in 2005 and 2006. Bear did not report any design changes. The failure reported in the VOQ appears to be an isolated incident and no defect trend was detected by ODI. Further use of agency resources does not appear warranted. This investigation is closed. The agency may take further action if new information is discovered in the future. ODI opened this investigation to determine the scope and severity of the alleged defect. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following complaint identification numbers: 10759570
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.