NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE13-025: Front Axle Shaft Failure
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE13-025 on July 5, 2013 and closed it on September 20, 2013. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Hyundai Santa FE and Kia Sorento for it and links recall 13V-355 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE13-025 (also written PE13025)
- 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 September 20, 2013
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturers
- Hyundai Motor America; Kia America, Inc.
- Components
- Power Train; Power Train — Axle Assembly — Axle Shaft
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 13V-355: Right Front Axle Shaft Can Fracture, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- Hyundai Santa FE and Kia Sorento
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE13-025.
In a letter dated August 9, 2013, Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center, Inc. (Hyundai-Kia) submitted two Defect Information Reports (DIR) to NHTSA identifying a safety defect related to fracture of the right front axle shaft in MY 2013 front wheel drive Hyundai Santa Fe Sport vehicles built from July 13, 2012 through March 12, 2013 and MY 2014 front wheel drive Kia Sorento vehicles built from January 7 through March 12, 2013 (Recall Nos. 13V-355 and 13V-356).
According to Hyundai-Kia, the right front axle driveshaft may develop a crack in the area of the stub at the wheel end of the shaft due to problems with the stub supplier's forging process for axles installed in vehicles built prior to March 12, 2013.
When moving from a stop, the crack can lead to a separation of the shaft, causing a loud noise and loss of motive power.
In addition, should the driver fail to engage the parking brake on an inclined surface, the vehicle may roll.
In either case, a crash could result.
ODI's review of consumer complaints and data submitted by Hyundai-Kia, identified 21 complaints alleging right-front axle shaft failure and 60 warranty claims related to right front axle replacements.
All of the vehicles identified in the complaints and warranty claims were manufactured during the vehicle builds periods identified in the DIR.The Preliminary Evaluation is closed.
The ODI report cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers: 10524563, 10524274, 10508727, and 10505768.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE13-025. 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.
Hyundai
Hyundai Santa FE
Kia
Kia Sorento
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 PE13-025
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.