SAF-Holland equipment query EQ16003
Wheel End may Separate from Axle. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this equipment query about the spindle. Opened Aug 12, 2016, closed Jun 6, 2017 after 10 months. It led to safety recall 17V041000. became a recall
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedBackground On October 1, 2015, SAF-Holland notified the agency that it is recalling certain 5-Inch Tapered Axles used in trailer applications, part numbers 24790175090, 24790745090, and 24790165090, manufactured December 13, 2011, to December 25, 2011. In the affected axles, the wheel end may separate from the axle due to an out of specification material thickness on the spindle. A wheel end that separates from the trailer axle increases the risk of a crash. This matter was assigned recall number 15E-080. In its 573 Defect Notification Report, SAF-Holland identified that it sold loose axles to Vanguard National Trailer Corporation designated to be installed as original equipment to multiple trailers manufacturers. On August 12, 2016, an Equipment Query (EQ) was opened to obtain a list of purchasers that were sold these axles so they are made aware of SAF-Holland?s safety defect decision and to ensure the follow-up on defect decisions are made as to the products that incorporated the defective equipment. On November 3, 2016, SAF-Holland responded via email and provided the requested purchaser list. RECALL MANAGEMENT DIVISION ACTION RMD sent letters to each purchaser between November 4, and December 2, 2016 and requested that a safety recall decision be made, that the requisite notice be filed, and that a recall campaign be conducted where appropriate. As a result, one company filed a defect report and is conducting a safety recall: ? Pratt Industries ? NHTSA recall number 17V-041The following company provided a written statement that it did not sell any products containing the defective axles to customers:? The Modern GroupAfter numerous attempts, the following companies did not respond to the NHTSA inquiry and have been referred to Chief Counsel:? General Services ? Midwest Metal ? Drake Trailers? The following companies are out of business.? Majona Steel ? Bourbon TrailersAccordingly, this Equipment Query investigation is closed. Copies of documents associated with this investigation, including responses to IR letters, can be found in this Equipment Query?s document repository by clicking the ?Associated Documents? button.
A Equipment Query is a query about a piece of equipment — a component, a tire, a child seat — rather than a whole vehicle. The summary is the agency’s own text from its investigation file, unedited; the opening and closing resumes with the full reasoning are on NHTSA’s site under this number.
What this means for an owner
Source: and what happens nextAn investigation is not a finding that a defect exists, and it puts no duty on anyone. NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation when complaints and other reports suggest a condition worth asking the manufacturer about; it upgrades to an Engineering Analysis when the answers warrant testing; it closes either when it recommends a recall, when the manufacturer recalls on its own, or when no defect trend is found. The agency’s own goals are about four months for a petition, eight for a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query and eighteen for an Engineering Analysis; many run longer.
This one became a recall. The campaign page carries the manufacturer’s filed defect, risk and remedy, the build window and every model year covered; whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themNHTSA filed this action against SAF-Holland without naming a model year — an equipment or manufacturer-level query.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs EQ16003 a recall?
No — it is the investigation that led to one. Recall 17V041000 is the campaign; its page carries the remedy.
Is EQ16003 still open?
No. It closed on Jun 6, 2017 and led to recall 17V041000.
Which vehicles does EQ16003 cover?
NHTSA filed it against SAF-Holland without naming a model year.