NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE08-009: POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURES
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE08-009 on February 1, 2008 and closed it on July 3, 2008. NHTSA's investigations file lists 4 Freightliner models for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE08-009 (also written PE08009)
- 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 July 3, 2008
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- FREIGHTLINER LLC
- Components
- Steering — Hydraulic Power Assist System; Steering — Hydraulic Power Assist — Pump
- Vehicles and equipment
- 4 Freightliner models, including the Century ST and Century
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 PE08-009.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
ODI'S INVESTIGATION OF THE SUBJECT POWER STEERING PUMP HAS FOUND THAT, WITH OVER FIVE YEARS OF OPERATIONAL EXPOSURE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO PUMP FAILURES THAT RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON THE ROAD OR ANY SUDDEN DROP OFF IN THE POWER STEERING ASSIST AT ANY TIME.THERE ARE NO CRASHES OR INJURIES.THESE REDUCTION IN ASSIST EVENTS HAVE ONLY OCCURRED DURING BACKING OR PARKING MANEUVERS.FREIGHTLINER AND TRW APPEAR TO HAVE ACTED RESPONSIBLY IN PROVIDING INFORMATION TO CUSTOMERS AND DEALERS REGARDING SAFE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR PROCEDURES FOR POWER STEERING PUMPS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN SPEED OF STEER.FREIGHTLINER'S FIELD SERVICE BULLETIN, FSB 46-38, IS A DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING IF THE TRW POWER STEERING PUMP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REDUCED POWER ASSIST AND DESCRIBES CORRECTIVE ACTIONS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN ONCE THE DETERMINATION IS MADE.THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE:REPLACE THE SPOOL VALVE ASSEMBLY (VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO 1/1/05) OR, REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP (VEHICLES BUILT AFTER 1/1/05).
A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION SEE DOCUMENT FILE.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE08-009. 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 PE08-009
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.