NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE16-004: Loss of Windshield Wiper Function
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE16-004 on April 13, 2016 and closed it on September 3, 2016. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2008–2010 Tiffin Phaeton for it and links recalls 16V-532 and 16V-623 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE16-004 (also written PE16004)
- 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 3, 2016
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Tiffin Motorhomes, Inc.
- Components
- Visibility; Visibility/Wiper; Visibility — Rear Window Wiper/Washer — Linkages
- Recalls linked by NHTSA
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2008–2010 Tiffin Phaeton
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE16-004.
Based on two Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) alleging windshield wiper failures at the pivot assembly on Phaeton model Motorhomes, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE).
During the investigation Tiffin made ODI aware of 66 warranty claims for wiper failures and also informed ODI of a design change to the wiper motor. Based on the VOQ received by ODI, the vehicles subject to this investigation were 2008 MY Tiffin Phaeton Motorhomes.
During the investigation Tiffin identified additional models that used the same subject windshield wiper components.
The additional models include 2007-2011 MY Allegro, Allegro Bus, Phaeton, and Zephyr, 2007-2010 MY Allegro Bay and 2010-2011 MY Allegro Breeze motorhomes.
As part of the investigation, fleet operators, professional drivers, law enforcement personal, engineers from the Vehicle Research Test Center and complainants were interviewed.
ODI leveraged these interviews to demonstrate that the wiper failures represented a safety defect.
Tiffin concurred and during the PE process decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall (16V-532).
Tiffin found that if the windshield wiper arms break, the driver's visibility may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
The Tiffin recall was received prior to the required response date of an Information Request (IR) letter ODI had sent them.
As a result, there is no manufacturer IR response on record.
This investigation is closed with Safety Recall (16V-532).
The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID using the following complaint identification numbers: 10522553, 10478772.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE16-004. 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.
Tiffin
All Tiffin 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 PE16-004
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.