NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE07-008: RESTRICTED BRAKE PEDAL MOVEMENT
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE07-008 on February 12, 2007 and closed it on April 16, 2007. NHTSA's investigations file lists 3 Thomas models for it and links recall 07V-137 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE07-008 (also written PE07008)
- 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 April 16, 2007
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC.
- Component
- Service Brakes, Air — Controls — Foot Control/Valve
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 07V-137: BRAKE PUSH ROD, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 3 Thomas models, including the MVP ER and HDX
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE07-008.
ODI WAS CONTACTED BY THE NEW YORK DOT WHO REPORTEDSEVERAL BUSES FAILED BRAKING TESTS WHEN BEING TESTED DURING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE SUBJECT SCHOOL BUSES ARE OPTIONED WITH AN ADJUSTABLE FOOT PEDAL POSITIONING DEVICE THAT ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO RAISE AND LOWER THE BRAKE PEDAL HEIGHT TO SUIT HIS/HER SEATING POSITION.WHEN THE LOWEST PEDAL POSITION IS SELECTED (BY A BUTTON ON THE DASHBOARD), NYDOT REPORTED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL BOTTOMED OUT ON THE FLOOR, THUS PREVENTING A FULL BRAKE PEDAL APPLICATION.THIS RESULTED IN A REDUCTION OF BRAKE TORQUE AT THE WHEEL ENDS.FREIGHTLINER WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM.THE REMEDY CALLS FOR A LONGER PEDAL PUSH ROD BEING INSTALLED IN- PLACE OF THE ORIGINAL PUSH ROD. THEY ALSO INCREASED THE POPULATION TO INCLUDE THE MVP-ER MODEL BUSES.THIS RESOLVES THE ISSUE RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE07-008. 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 PE07-008
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.