NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Audit Query AQ16-001: HCI Helmet Recalls
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Audit Query AQ16-001 on April 13, 2016 and closed it on November 17, 2021. NHTSA's investigations file lists the HCI 100 and 115 for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- AQ16-001 (also written AQ16001)
- Investigation type
- Audit Query An administrative investigation into compliance with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting Early Warning data on time or carrying out a recall.
- Status
- Closed November 17, 2021
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Helmet City, Inc.
- Component
- Equipment — Motorcycle — Helmets
- Vehicles and equipment
- HCI 100 and 115
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Audit Query AQ16-001.
Helmet City, Inc. (HCI) was an importer and worldwide distributor of motorcycle helmets, operated by President Al Sobel. In 2014 and 2015, OVSC conducted testing on various sizes of the HCI 100 and HCI 115 motorcycle helmets. All of the helmets tested failed some aspect of the compliance tests, including failures of impact attenuation tests. On September 23, 2015, NHTSA sent HCI Information Request letters containing reports showing testing failures for model 100 (sizes M and XL) and model 115 (size XL). On October 21, 2015, HCI's attorney indicated that HCI was looking into doing a Part 573 report for the subject helmets. After some additional correspondence between NHTSA and HCI - including NHTSA reminding HCI of the five-working day deadline to submit a Part 573 Safety Recall Report NHTSA received HCI's response to the information requests on November 12, 2015.
Ultimately, on February 2, 2016, HCI submitted two Part 573 Safety Recall Reports to NHTSA for non-compliance in HCI helmet model 100 (sizes M and XL), Recall 16E-008, and model 115 (size XL), recall 16E-010. On April 13, 2016, NHTSA opened this AQ to investigate the timeliness of HCI's non-compliance determination and the scope of the 2016 recalls. The AQ was also opened to investigate and review HCI's compliance with reporting requirements under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Prior to NHTSA opening the AQ, Darsan Trading (established in February 2016) had purchased the inventory and trademark of HCI. It is NHTSA's understanding that the predecessor company originally responsible for the recall no longer legally exists. Darsan, the successor company, has thus far been forthcoming and cooperative with NHTSA, including taking over responsibility for and completing the quarterly reporting requirements for the aforementioned HCI recalls. The agency has concluded that continuing this investigation into HCI is not warranted and that this investigation should be closed. Closure of this AQ does not represent a determination by the agency as to HCI or Darsan's compliance with any applicable federal laws or regulations. The agency continues to monitor Darsan's handling of the recalls and its conformance with legal obligations including reporting requirements. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Audit Query AQ16-001. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
HCI
HCI 100
- model year not given
HCI 115
- model year not given
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for AQ16-001
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.