NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE13-038: CNG Fuel Container Securement
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE13-038 on November 15, 2013 and closed it on March 9, 2014. NHTSA's investigations file lists 4 models from 3 makes for it and links recall 14V-040 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE13-038 (also written PE13038)
- 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 9, 2014
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturers
- Ford Motor Company; A-1 Auto Electric; BAF Technologies, Inc.
- Components
- Fuel System, Other — Storage; Fuel System, Other — Storage — Tank Assembly — Mounting
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 14V-040: Broken CNG Tank Brackets, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 4 models from 3 makes, including the Ford F-550 and Ford F-550 SD
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE13-038.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is aware of 1 incident related to the alleged defect. By letter dated January 10, 2014, Almared, Inc. (doing business as A-1 Alternative Fuel Systems) has notified ODI that it has conducted a safety recall (NHTSA Recall No. 14V-040) to address a safety defect in 18 model year 2011-2012 Ford F-550 transit buses manufactured between May 2011 and April 2013. These vehicles have been altered by A-1 to contain one or more compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel containers. According to A-1, the brackets securing passenger side CNG fuel containers to the vehicle chassis may fracture, resulting in a CNG fuel container that is unsecured. A-1 has reportedly inspected all 18 affected vehicles and repaired all vehicles equipped with the defective mounting bracket by installing a new bracket of an improved design. The new bracket has added strength as a result of the following design revisions: the cantilevered mounting plate is reinforced with additional support plates, the cantilevered position is mounted higher on the bracket above the CNG fuel container center line position (thus reducing the moment arm), and it is constructed of heavier gauge steel plate that is also dimensionally wider, which provides for a greater bonding surface area with the vehicle chassis.
Based on the recall action taken by Almared, Inc., this investigation is closed.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE13-038. 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.
A-1 Alternative Fuel Syst
A-1 Alternative Fuel Syst CNG Fuel System
- model year not given
BAF
BAF CNG Fuel System
- model year not given
Ford
All Ford recallsWhat 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 PE13-038
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.