NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Defect Petition DP26-002: Redundant wheel fastener locking mechanism
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Defect Petition DP26-002 on March 4, 2026 and closed it on August 13, 2026. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Fleetwood Fortis and Western Star 5700 for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- DP26-002 (also written DP26002)
- Investigation type
- Defect Petition A petition asking NHTSA to open a defect investigation; NHTSA grants or denies it, and granting one opens an investigation.
- Status
- Closed August 13, 2026
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturers
- Daimler Trucks North America, LLC; REV Recreation Group
- Components
- Wheels; Wheels — Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
- Vehicles and equipment
- Fleetwood Fortis and Western Star 5700
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 Defect Petition DP26-002.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition on November 21, 2025, requesting a defect investigation to “determine whether the absence of a redundant mechanical wheel-fastener locking mechanism constitutes a safety-related defect in motor vehicles and motor-vehicle equipment” in the heavy-vehicle sector. On March 4, 2026, NHTSA opened Defect Petition DP26002 to evaluate the petitioner's request. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11703245. The petitioner focused on all vehicles utilizing the 10-285.75 mm bolt wheels, also known as 10 Hole 22.5" Hub Pilot Wheels, as the subject of the petition. ODI conducted a comprehensive search of Vehicle Owner Questionnaire's (VOQ) and Early Warning Reporting (EWR) data for vehicles equipped with the subject wheels. Furthermore, ODI reviewed six months of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Motor Carrier Management Information System violation data for commercial vehicles cited for loose/missing wheel fasteners. After a review of this data, ODI has found insufficient evidence to support the petitioner's claim that a safety-related defect exists. The data indicates that instances of loose or missing fasteners typically occur at higher mileages following fleet maintenance activities, rather than as a result of an inherent vehicle manufacturing or design defect. Furthermore, commercial motor vehicle operators are required to conduct daily pre-trip inspections to detect and mitigate loose fasteners before operation. In the absence of a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard requiring wheels to have a redundant locking system and given the lack of evidence establishing a systemic safety defect, ODI is denying this Defect Petition. The denial of this petition does not foreclose the agency from taking further action if warranted or making a future finding that a safety-related defect exists based upon additional information the agency may receive. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Defect Petition DP26-002. 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.
Fleetwood
Fleetwood Fortis
Western Star
Western Star 5700
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 DP26-002
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.