NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Recall Query RQ12-001: PDM Failures
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Recall Query RQ12-001 on December 7, 2012 and closed it on April 16, 2013. NHTSA's investigations file lists 3 Freightliner models for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- RQ12-001 (also written RQ12001)
- 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 April 16, 2013
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturers
- Daimler Trucks North America, LLC; FREIGHTLINER LLC
- Components
- Electrical System; Electrical System — Software; Electrical System — Wiring; Equipment — Electrical
- Vehicles and equipment
- 3 Freightliner models, including the Business Class M2 and Business Class M2 106V
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 RQ12-001.
ODI opened this investigation based on Early Warning Reporting (EWR) data screening activities that indicated that numerous PDMs failed on 2007 M2 vehicles that were not part of the manufacturer's voluntary recall, 08V-154.
The information available during the screening effort did not differentiate PDMs controlling trailer lighting from other PDMs used on the vehicle.
ODI opened this investigation in order to collect additional information and ensure the scope of the original recall was appropriate.
Recall 08V-154 was limited to trailer PDMs located on the fuel tank bracket.
M2 vehicles utilized a total of eight locations to mount the trailer PDM.When comparing the warranty claims for each of the locations separately, the claim rate for the recalled population is over 3 times higher than the non-recalled population with other mounting locations.
After seven years of service and no known crashes, fires or injuries, the data suggests that when mounted in the locations not included in the original recall, the subject PDM does not pose an unreasonable risk to highway safety at this time.
For this reason, this investigation is closed 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 in the subject vehicles.
The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Recall Query RQ12-001. 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.
Freightliner
All Freightliner 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 RQ12-001
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.