NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE04-007: SUDDEN REAR SUSPENSION MISALIGNMENT
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE04-007 on January 16, 2004 and closed it on March 18, 2004. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2003 Mid-West Choppers Motorcycle for it and links recalls 04V-108 and 04E-030 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE04-007 (also written PE04007)
- 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 March 18, 2004
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- MID-WEST CHOPPERS
- Component
- Suspension — Rear
- Recalls linked by NHTSA
- 04V-108: MID-WEST/SWING ARM PIVOT BOLT SPACER, reported
- 04E-030 (NHTSA record)
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2003 Mid-West Choppers Motorcycle
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE04-007.
THE SUBJECT MOTORCYCLES WERE BUILT USING A SOFTAIL-STYLE FRAME PRODUCED BY PRO-STREET FRAMEWORKS OF HENRYETTA, OKLAHOMA.THESE FRAMES HAD 1 O.D. FREE-FLOATING SWINGARM LEFT-SIDE PIVOT BOLT SPACERS.DUE TO INADEQUATE PIVOT BOLT SUPPORT, THIS DESIGN ALLOWED THE PIVOT BOLT TO DEFLECT AND, IN AT LEAST ONE INSTANCE, FRACTURE.WHETHER THE PIVOT BOLT DEFLECTED (BENT) OR FRACTURED, REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS AFFECTED AND MOTORCYCLE CONTROL COULD BE COMPROMISED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.IN SOME INSTANCES, RIDERS WOULD BECOME AWARE OF THE CONDITION BECAUSE DRIVE BELT TENSION WOULD BE REDUCED AND/OR THE REAR TIRE WOULD RUB ON THE FENDER.TO REMEDY THIS CONDITION, MWC HAS ADVISED THE AGENCY THAT IT CONTACTED ALL AFFECTED OWNERS BY TELEPHONE AND MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE A 1.75 O.D. SPACER WELDED TO THE SWINGARM.MWC WILL FOLLOW UP WITH LETTERS TO THE OWNERS.WITH THIS RECALL, ODI IS CLOSING THIS INVESTIGATION.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE04-007. 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.
Mid-West Choppers
Mid-West Choppers Motorcycle
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 PE04-007
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.