NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE13-012: Single Wheel End Thermal Overload
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE13-012 on April 26, 2013 and closed it on December 2, 2013. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Bendix ADB22X for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE13-012 (also written PE13012)
- 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 December 2, 2013
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- BENDIX SPICER FOUNDATION BRAKE LLC
- Components
- Service Brakes, Air — Disc; Service Brakes, Air — Disc — Caliper; Service Brakes, Air — Disc — Chamber; Service Brakes, Air — Disc — Pads; Service Brakes, Air — Disc — Rotor
- Vehicles and equipment
- Bendix ADB22X
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 PE13-012.
To date, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is aware of 45 complaints and field reports related to single wheel end thermal overload events on certain model year 2012 through 2013 trucks equipped with Bendix air disc brakes.
Of the 45 complaints, 15 allege the thermal overload condition resulted in a fire.
However, because the severity is low in all reported incidents, it is difficult to accurately quantify the number of fire incidents as opposed to those incidents where a fire related phenomenon was observed (such as smoke, which may sometimes be confused with the normal off-gassing of brake pad binder resins) or where brake system components simply suffered heat damage due to the thermal overload condition.
In all reported incidents, heat related damage was apparently contained to the wheel end itself.
Heat affected components typically included the brake caliper, pads, rotor, hub cap, anti-lock braking system (ABS) sensor wire and wheel torque indicators.
In only three incidents did someone apply a fire extinguishing agent to address the concern and in all three cases it was a portable handheld fire extinguisher that was discharged.
All other reported fire incidents were apparently self-extinguishing.
In the most severe fire incident, the adjacent tire did not catch fire, the brake caliper did not have an orange or red color as is typical when a thermal overload event occurs, the black caliper paint sustained some heat damage, the caliper tappet boots had the typical appearance and did not appear heat damaged and the affected rotor/hub would turn freely once cooled.
None of the 15 incidents could be inspected or verified by ODI as having been fires.
Typically, brake system components subject to thermal overloading were repaired prior to the opening of this investigation and affected components had been discarded.
As a result, scant forensic evidence has been available for inspection and review by ODI or Bendix.
ODI is not aware of any allegations of extended stopping distances in the subject vehicles due to the alleged defect.
There have been no reports of crash or loss of vehicle control related to the alleged defect. There have been no reports of property damage beyond the subject vehicle and all affected vehicles have been repaired and returned to service. There have been no reports of injury or death.
Finally, ODI has not identified any apparent trend with respect to root cause.
A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.
Accordingly, this investigation is closed.
The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.
The agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE13-012. 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.
Bendix
Bendix ADB22X
- model year not given
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 PE13-012
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.