NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Equipment Query EQ16-002: Improperly torqued hex nuts/drive axles
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Equipment Query EQ16-002 on March 15, 2016 and closed it on October 4, 2016. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Marmon-Herrington Drive Axle for it and links recalls 16V-371 and 17V-565 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EQ16-002 (also written EQ16002)
- Investigation type
- Equipment Query An administrative investigation that reviews recall reports to confirm that the equipment suppliers and vehicle manufacturers involved in an equipment recall have filed the recall reports required of them.
- Status
- Closed October 4, 2016
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Marmon-Herrington
- Component
- Power Train — Axle Assembly
- Recalls linked by NHTSA
- Vehicles and equipment
- Marmon-Herrington Drive Axle
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Equipment Query EQ16-002.
Background In a Part 573 Safety recall report dated August 11, 2015, Marmon-Herrington notified NHTSA that it decided that a defect exists in certain drive axles, model numbers MT14, MT17, MT22, R17 and R22, manufactured July 28, 2014, to July 22, 2015.
The affected axles are equipped with hex nuts on the flange yoke that may not have been properly tightened.
If the hex nuts are not tightened to specification, the driveshaft may disconnect from the drive axle, resulting in a loss of propulsion and increasing the risk of a crash. This matter was assigned recall campaign number 15E-065.
In their 573 Defect Notification Report, Marmon-Herrington identified several vehicle manufactures that were sold and possibly installed the defective axles in their vehicles.
On March 15, 2016, the Recall Management Division (RMD) opened this Equipment Query (EQ) Investigation in order to obtain Marmon-Herrington's customer list and to contact the companies that purchased the defect drive axles, notify them of the defect and ensure thorough safety recalls are conducted where appropriate.
On March 15, 2016, an information request letter was sent to Marmon-Herrington via email.
A second information request letter was sent to Marmon-Herrington on April 5, 2016.
Marmon-Herrington?s ResponseMarmon-Herrington responded to the information request letter on April 8, 2016.
The purchaser list was uploaded through the recalls portal by Marmon-Herrington on April 6, 2016.
Recall Management Division Action RMD sent letters on May 11, 2016, to each vehicle manufacturer and requested a safety recall decision be made and the requisite notice filed and recall campaign conducted where appropriate.
As a result, the following manufacturers have filed defect reports and are conducting safety recalls:? Terex Advance (16V-371)The following companies have provided written statements that they did not sell any products containing the defective valves to customers:? Ferrara Fire Apparatus ? General DynamicsAfter numerous attempts, the following companies refused to respond to the NHTSA inquiry and have been referred to Chief Counsel:? Wausau Everest ? Kimble MixerAccordingly, this equipment query investigation is closed. Copies of documents associated with this investigation, including responses to IR letters, can be found in this Equipment Query?s document repository by clicking the ?Associated Documents? button.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Equipment Query EQ16-002. 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.
Marmon-Herrington
Marmon-Herrington Drive Axle
- 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 EQ16-002
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.