NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE14-002: Front spindle failure
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE14-002 on January 30, 2014 and closed it on December 23, 2014. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2008 American Lafrance Eagle for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE14-002 (also written PE14002)
- 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 23, 2014
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- AMERICAN LAFRANCE LLC
- Component
- Steering — Linkages — Knuckle — Spindle — Arm
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2008 American Lafrance Eagle
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 PE14-002.
On January 30th 2014 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-002 based on Vehicle Owner's Questionnaire (VOQ) No. 10554304 alleging that the front wheel completely separated on a model year 2008 American LaFrance Eagle aerial-ladder fire truck.
During this investigation, ODI sent American LaFrance an Information Request (IR) letter seeking further information.
After sending the IR, ODI learned that under direction from its owner Patriarch Partners LLC, American LaFrance had ceased operation and closed its manufacturing facilities.
Subsequent communications with Patriarch Partners revealed that the records necessary to respond to ODI's IR could not be obtained.
As a result of this information not being available, ODI was not able to conduct a complete investigation or locate the owners of existing vehicles.
In an effort to notify owners of the vehicles about the potential safety issue, ODI released a consumer alert.
This alert was distributed to the Emergency Responder community via the firstresponder.gov web site.
Copies of both the alert and website where it was published can be found in the public file for this investigation.
Information will continue to be collected from any operators who contact ODI who will be advised of the risks and how best to prevent future failures.
Due to the inability to locate production, owner, and failure or warranty data, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation.
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 additional data becomes available.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE14-002. 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.
American Lafrance
American Lafrance Eagle
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 PE14-002
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.