NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE14-006: Motorcycle steering lockup
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE14-006 on March 10, 2014 and closed it on May 22, 2015. NHTSA's investigations file lists 5 Victory models for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE14-006 (also written PE14006)
- 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 May 22, 2015
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturers
- Polaris Industries Inc.; POLARIS INDUSTRIES, INC.
- Component
- Structure
- Vehicles and equipment
- 5 Victory models, including the Vision and Vision Eight Ball
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 PE14-006.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
This Preliminary Evaluation (PE14006) was opened after NHTSA became aware of alleged steering lockup involving Victory Vision motorcycles built by Polaris Industries, Inc. (Polaris).
This issue has been the subject of numerous online forum posts by the filer of VOQ 10534733.
Both the VOQs and forum posts (from all sources) formed the foundation of our investigation. The subject motorcycles are equipped with a two-piece, plastic, front fender.
The back half (the all-black portion in the photo below) is secured to the fork with a single fastener on each side.
It is secured to the front half of the fender with two plastic pushpins.
The back half of the subject 2-piece fender is alleged to cause steering lockup when it partially separates and becomes wedged in the lower faring.
We have expanded the PE's original scope to include the MY2014 and 2015 Visions because (1) these bikes came on-line after we opened this investigation and (2) the subject fender remains unchanged.
Since its introduction in May, 2007, Polaris has produced 7,337 Visions (and trim derivatives).
In the 8 years since, we are aware of 35 incidents of partial fender separation wherein the fender wedged in the lower fairing opening.
None of the incidents involved a crash.
During testing, with the fender both wedged in the lower fairing and with it pinned in the seam joining the right and left lower fairing halves, we noted a ?notchy? steering feel but no steering lock-up.
At no time was steering control lost in either circumstance (wedged and/or pinned).
When the front forks were rotated at angles greater than 10 degrees, and vehicle speed was, by necessity, below 10mph we noted an increase in steering effort that was easily manageable.
This is consistent with the results of Polaris? testing where steering effort increased at steering angles beyond ten degrees.
Such steering angles were only reasonably obtainable at speeds below ten mph.
Polaris concluded that a fender separation of the type owners allege, does not represent an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety, but does compromise owner satisfaction.
Consequently, on April 28, 2015, Polaris advised the agency that it decided to undertake a consumer satisfaction campaign to improve fender durability on all MY 2008-15 Victory Vision motorcycles regardless of mileage, time in service, or ownership status.
Owners will receive notification of this campaign by June 20, 2015.
A copy of Polaris' April 28, 2015 letter to us about this program is in the public file for this PE.In light of the low risk to motor vehicle safety as a result of displaced fenders, and Polaris?s actions to reduce the likelihood of fender interference through a consumer satisfaction campaign, 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 additional detailed information on this investigation, see the attached closing report.
The ODI complaints cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following (ODI) numbers: 10534913, 10535066, 10430546, 10469285, 10468997, 10592181, 10585428, 10534743, 10597031, 10535938, 10594160, 10594161, 10606364
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE14-006. 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 PE14-006
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.