Investigations
FRONT AXLE / TIRE OVERLOAD
NHTSA Recall Query RQ08004 - closed, opened 2008-06-24.
NHTSA investigation RQ08004 is a Recall Query opened on 2008-06-24 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2008-11-03 - 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 Recall Query like RQ08004 evaluates whether a previously issued recall is actually fixing the problem. NHTSA opens an RQ when owners continue to report the original defect after the recall remedy is installed, or when completion rates fall short of the agency's expectations for that risk tier.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "BLUE BIRD IS IMPLEMENTING VARIOUS WEIGHT REDUCTION, WEIGHT REDISTRIBUTION , AND CAPACITY UPGRADE INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE THE FRONT AXLE / TIRE OVER-LOAD CONDITION OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. ODI IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED ABOUT..." 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
BLUE BIRD IS IMPLEMENTING VARIOUS WEIGHT REDUCTION, WEIGHT REDISTRIBUTION , AND CAPACITY UPGRADE INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE THE FRONT AXLE / TIRE OVER-LOAD CONDITION OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. ODI IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED ABOUT BLUE BIRD'S INITIATIVE TO UPRATE THE FRONT TIRE BY REQUIRING OWNERS TO MAINTAIN 130 PSI INFLATION PRESSURE. IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S CONCERNS, BLUE BIRD WILL SUPPLEMENT THEIR ORIGINAL REMEDY PLAN OF PROVIDING NEW FRONT TIRES AND NEW TIRE CERTIFCATION LABELS SPECIFYING THE 130 PSI INFLATION REQUIREMENT WITH INTIATIVES TO: (1) INSTALL AN ON-BOARD TIRE INFLATION SYSTEM CAPABLE OF PROVIDING 130 PSI; (2) INSTALL A PLACARD ON THE DASH PANEL AS A ONGOING REMINDER TO OWNERS OF THE NEED TO MAINTAIN PROPER INFLATION PRESSURE; AND (3) INVESTIGATING THE POSSIBLITY OF PERIODICALLY REMINDING OWNERS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING SPECIFIED TIRE PRESSURE. ODI REMAINS GENERALLY CONCERNED ABOUT FRONT TIRES INSTALLED IN MOTOR HOMES BECAUSE ODI'S EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT MOTOR HOME OWNERS ARE FREQUENLTY UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO MAINTAIN HIGH INFLATION PRESSURES IN THEIR TIRES. SEE ODI'S CLOSING REPORT FOR ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS / DETAILS REGARDING THIS.
About This Investigation Type
A Recall Query (RQ) evaluates the effectiveness of a previously issued recall. NHTSA opens an RQ when consumer complaints suggest that a recall remedy may not be adequately addressing the safety issue, or when the recall completion rate appears insufficient.
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.