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NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Recall Query RQ14-003: Aerial Fire Apparatus Cable Failure

  • Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Recall Query RQ14-003 on August 6, 2014 and closed it on December 23, 2014. NHTSA's investigations file lists 5 Sutphen models for it and links recall 14V-718 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number
RQ14-003 (also written RQ14003)
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 December 23, 2014
Opened
Closed
Vehicle or equipment manufacturers
Sutphen Corporation; SUTPHEN CORP.
Component
Latches/Locks/Linkages
Recall linked by NHTSA
  • 14V-718: Main Extend Cables Failed/FMVSS 403, reported
Vehicles and equipment
5 Sutphen models, including the SPH 100 and SAI 110

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Recall Query RQ14-003.

On May 22, 2013 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation investigation (PE13-017) on Sutphen SPH aerial ladder bucket equipped emergency vehicles for cable failures resulting in unintended bucket retraction.

This investigation was closed November 19, 2013 when Sutphen submitted a safety recall 13V-565.

At the time of the recall, Sutphen believed the failures were a result of poor maintenance.

Sutphen conducted a remedy program where they inspected all of the subject vehicles, repaired any damaged aerial ladder components and trained the owners on the proper maintenance of the equipment.

Since the closing of PE13-017, ODI has been made aware (through media reports) of three post recall failures that resulted in 6 injuries.

These failures occurred following the implementation of the 13V-565 recall remedy on the subject vehicles.

On August 6th, 2014 ODI opened this Recall Query (RQ14-003) on the same Sutphen Corporation SPH aerial ladder bucket equipped emergency vehicles based on the three additional aerial ladder bucket failures.

On September 4th, 2014 an ODI investigator, Sutphen engineers, a Hall County technical representative and County Commissioner conducted an inspection of a failed subject vehicle in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Fire truck and aerial device were impounded and secured in the maintenance shop where all parties were able to conduct an inspection of the failed components.

The Hall county representatives extended the aerial ladder bucket for the ODI and Sutphen inspectors to take measurements and pictures.

Also, the failed cables were laid out on the garage floor for inspection. On October 18th 2014, Sutphen purchased the subject fire truck from Hall County for additional analysis and later decided to conduct an additional Safety Recall.

Sutphen determined the root cause of the unintended retraction of the aerial ladder bucked was a failure of the cables which extend and retract the ladder.

Subsequently a field retrofit kit was developed, analyzed, and tested to ensure that in-service aerials could be restored to a safe operating configuration.

This is accomplished by increasing both the size and strength of the cables and limiting the maximum hydraulic pressure in the extension system. This new modification kit will update the field units to meet Sutphen's standards and exceed NFPA requirements.

This investigation is closed with safety recall 14V-718.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Recall Query RQ14-003. 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.

Sutphen

All Sutphen recalls

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 RQ14-003

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.