NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE03-027: STRICK SEMI TRAILER HUB FAILURES
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE03-027 on June 30, 2003 and closed it on November 12, 2003. NHTSA's investigations file lists 3 Strick models for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE03-027 (also written PE03027)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed November 12, 2003
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Strick Trailers, LLC
- Components
- Suspension — Multiple Axle; Suspension — Rear — Axle — Non-Powered Axle Assembly; Wheels — Hub
- Vehicles and equipment
- 3 Strick models, including the 0400CD and Trailer
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 Preliminary Evaluation PE03-027.
ODI OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON A FLEET COMPLAINT WHERE INFORMATION WAS FURNISHED INDICATING THAT WHEEL BEARINGS WERE FAILING AT AN UNUSUALLY HIGH RATE.IN 29 CASES THESE FAILURES ALLEGEDLY RESULTED IN A WHEEL END FIRE OR A WHEEL SEPARATION.DURING THE INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH LOW MAINTENANCE WHEEL ENDS.DOCUMENTS OBTAINED BY ODI INDICATE THAT WIDESPREAD CONFUSION EXISTED IN THIS INDUSTRY CONCERNING MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS.THE ISSUES WERE:FREQUENCY OF MAINTENANCE, AMOUNT OF GREASE TO BE USED, AND PROPER METHOD OF INSPECTION.SEVERAL MEETINGS WERE HELD INVOLVING THE AXLE MANUFACTURER, (ARVINMERITOR), LUBRICATION MANUFACTURER (MOBIL), SEVERAL TRAILER MANUFACTURERS AND FLEETS.CURRENTLY ODI HAS DATA WHICH INDICATES THAT 255 TRAILERS FROM A CERTAIN BUILD PERIOD HAVE WHEEL ENDS FAILING AT A HIGHER RATE THAN PEER TRAILERS WITH THE SAME WHEEL ENDS.ODI IS UPGRADING THIS INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHY THE ONE GROUP IS FAILING AT A HIGHER RATE THAN OTHERS WITH THE SAME WHEEL ENDS.IN ORDER TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER, ODI WILL BE CONTACTING THE AXLE MANUFACTURER, THE BEARING AND GREASE MANUFACTURERS, FLEETS AND WILL FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE WITH STRICK DIRECTLY.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE03-027. 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.
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 PE03-027
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.