NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE05-067: SUSPENSION-FRAME CRACKS
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE05-067 on December 8, 2005 and closed it on March 16, 2006. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1999–2006 Heil California Pull for it and links recall 06V-045 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE05-067 (also written PE05067)
- 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 16, 2006
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- HEIL TRAILER INTERNATIONAL
- Component
- Structure — Frame and Members
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 06V-045: DOLLY FRAME, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 1999–2006 Heil California Pull
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE05-067.
ODI DETERMINED THAT TWO SUBJECT TRAILERS EXPERIENCED COMPLETE FRAME SEPARATIONS. HEIL HAD INITIATED AN OWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAM, WHICH PAID FOR THE COMPLETE REPAIR OF ALL SUBJECT TRAILERS.GIVEN THAT THE SUBJECT TRAILERS WERE FUEL TANKERS, ODI WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HEIL'S DECISION TO CONDUCT A FIELD ACTION IN LIEU OF A SAFETY RECALL.AFTER REVIEWING HEIL'S PRIOR RECALL HISTORY AND DISCUSSING THE FAILURES WITH INVOLVED FLEETS, ODI CONTACTED HEIL TO DISCUSS THE MATTER.DURING OUR DISCUSSION, THE SAFETY RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH A 6,000 GALLON GASOLINE TANKER SEPARATING FROM THE TOW BAR MECHANISM WERE DISCUSSED. AS A RESULT, HEIL DECIDED TO CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE05-067. 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 PE05-067
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.