NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Recall Query RQ03-009: WHEEL SEPARATIONS
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Recall Query RQ03-009 on November 21, 2003 and closed it on March 17, 2004. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2002–2004 Fleetwood Prowler for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- RQ03-009 (also written RQ03009)
- Investigation type
- Recall Query An investigation into whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or whether its remedy works, run much like a Preliminary Evaluation.
- Status
- Closed March 17, 2004
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES, INC.
- Component
- Wheels — Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2002–2004 Fleetwood Prowler
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 Recall Query RQ03-009.
FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES DETERMINED THAT THE WHEEL MOUNTING NUTS HAD BEEN INADEQUATELY TORQUED IN FIFTH WHEEL AND TRAVEL TRAILERS BUILT WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS SINCE JUNE 2002.
FLEETWOOD ALERTEDOWNERS VIA A CUSTOMER ADVISORY NOTICE IN APRIL AND MAY OF 2003.
ON OCTOBER 29, 2003, FLEETWOOD MADE A DEFECT DETERMINATION AND RENOTIFIED OWNERS. IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S INVESTIGATION, FLEETWOOD PROVIDED CERTAIN PRELIMINARY INFORMATION TO ODI, BUT THIS INFORMATION DOES NOT ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN THE REASON(S) FOR WHEEL SEPARATIONS, AND ODI CONTINUES TO BE CONCERNED THAT THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS MAY NOT COMPLETELY ADDRESS THE ISSUE. FLEETWOOD'S CAMPAIGN DIRECTIVE REQUESTED THAT OWNERS RE-TORQUE THE WHEEL MOUNTING NUTS.ALTHOUGH RE-TORQUING IS CONSISTENT WITH GOOD MAINTENANCE PRACTICE, ODI IS CONCERNED THAT THE NEED TO FREQUENTLY RE-TORQUE THE WHEEL MOUNTING NUTS MAY BE INDICATIVE OF UNDERLYING DESIGN, ASSEMBLY, OR APPLICATION ISSUES THAT COULD AFFECT THE RETENTION INTEGRITY OF THE WHEEL MOUNTING SYSTEM.ALTHOUGH FLEETWOOD HAS ADVISED ODI THAT NO ADDITIONAL WHEEL SEPARATIONS HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THEIR OCTOBER 29, 2003 DEFECT REPORT AND ASSOCIATED OWNER NOTIFICATION, ODI WILL OPEN AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE ISSUES THAT MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO WHEEL SEPARATIONS IN FLEETWOOD VEHICLES.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Recall Query RQ03-009. 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.
Fleetwood
All Fleetwood 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 RQ03-009
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.