NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE14-026: Swing-away boat trailer tongue failures
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE14-026 on August 6, 2014 and closed it on December 23, 2014. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2011 Tracker Marine Mako 18 LTS for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE14-026 (also written PE14026)
- 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
- Tracker Marine, LLC
- Component
- Trailer Hitches
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2011 Tracker Marine Mako 18 LTS
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 PE14-026.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) alleging a failure of the swing-away hitch pivot bolt resulting in a loss of control.
This condition could potentially increase the risk of a crash.
During the investigation, ODI collected and reviewed subject and peer vehicle information related to the alleged defect.
ODI selected model year 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014 Tracker Marine trailers with swing-away hitches as peer vehicles.
ODI sent an Information Request letter to Tracker Marine in order to collect complaint, warranty, parts sales, and design information.
Tracker Marine provided all requested information and provided additional clarification upon request.
A thorough review of available data revealed no crashes, injuries, or property damage claims.
ODI did identify 11 warranty claims on the subject vehicles and 9 warranty claims on peer vehicles that indicated the hitch failed in some way.
Tracker Marine provided additional details about each claim. ODI determined of nine claims which indicated the hitch pin or bolt was replaced, no replacements were due to a structural failure of the pin or bolt.
Most of the pins were replaced due to damage to the pull ring, which has no effect on the integrity of the hitch.
Another nine claims indicated that the pin or pivot tube was cracked.
This would result in excessive play and warn the driver that they needed to have the hitch repaired. The remaining 2 cases had insufficient details. All known failures were identified and repaired before a complete separation or loss of control occurred.
ODI also considered part sales for the subject component.
While part sales did slightly out number warranty claims, it is impossible to correlate each sale to a particular make/model/model year trailer.
The subject components are interchangeable and can be purchased in the aftermarket.
The owner who submitted the VOQ to ODI also provided the failed pivot bolt to ODI for inspection.
The Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) inspected the bolt and suggested that a drilling operation used to create a lubricant channel possibly contributed to the bolt failure.
The VRTC analysis indicates there is potential for improvement within Tracker Marine's production of the swing-away hitch.
However, the claim rate suggests the issue is not wide spread and can be detected prior to complete failure.
This investigation is closed as 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.
The ODI report cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following complaint identification numbers: 10615428
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE14-026. 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.
Tracker Marine
Tracker Marine Mako 18 LTS
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 PE14-026
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.