Peterbilt and Kenworth preliminary evaluation PE10029
Driveshaft separates from tractor. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the driveshaft on 48 model years (2007–2009). Opened Aug 2, 2010, closed Dec 23, 2010 after 5 months. It led to safety recall 10V634000. became a recall
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedSummaryOn July 13, 2010, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened an investigation on model year (MY) 2007-2009 Peterbilt tractors equipped with the (SPL170XL extended lube inter-axle driveline).ODI opened this investigation based on one Vehicle Owners Questionnaire (VOQ) and certain Peterbilt field reports. During the course of the investigation, ODI reviewed PACCAR's IR (October 22, 2010) response with associated data related to Warranty and complaint information, mined field data, interviewed customers and visited local dealers within the Washington Metropolitan area. PACCARconducted testing regarding torsional loading and identified various causative factors contributed to this safety defect finding. The Defect is a consequence of the bearing surfaces of the SPL170XL extended lube universal joint that attaches the inter-axle driveline to the drive axle becoming prematurely worn due to a breakdown of lubrication and/or excessive heat. Prematurely worn bearing surfaces may result in the u-joint becoming loose and/or binding. This condition may result in universal joint failure, allowing the inter-axle driveline to detach from the axle, which may cause the drive shaft to separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of personal injury or property damage hazard. ODI learned that the affected population of the alleged defect extended to peer models within PACCAR. In summary, the following vehicles are being recalled: MY 2007 and 2008 Kenworth trucks, models T600, T660, T2000, T800 and W900 and MY 2007/2008 Peterbilt trucks, models357, 378, 379, 385, 386, 387, 388, and 389 allequipped with extended lube inter-axle drivelines manufactured by Dana Corporation. The recall affects vehicles manufactured between February 2, 2006 and April 30, 2007. At this time PACCAR has not yet identified a fix for the inner-axle safety defect and is currently conducting testing with the intent to provide a solution to the failure. ODI will monitor the development of PACCARS testing and ensure a timely repair for the consumer. This investigation is closed.
A Preliminary Evaluation is the first formal stage: NHTSA has decided the complaints and other information it screened are worth a closer look, and asks the manufacturer for its own data on the condition. 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 themAlso named: 2007 Kenworth T600; 2008 Kenworth T600; 2009 Kenworth T600; 2007 Kenworth T660; 2008 Kenworth T660; 2009 Kenworth T660; 2009 Kenworth T700; 2007 Kenworth T800; 2008 Kenworth T800; 2009 Kenworth T800; 2007 Kenworth W900; 2008 Kenworth W900; 2009 Kenworth W900; 2007 Peterbilt 320; 2008 Peterbilt 320; 2007 Peterbilt 357; 2008 Peterbilt 357; 2009 Peterbilt 357; 2007 Peterbilt 365; 2008 Peterbilt 365; 2009 Peterbilt 365; 2007 Peterbilt 367; 2008 Peterbilt 367; 2009 Peterbilt 367; 2007 Peterbilt 378; 2008 Peterbilt 378; 2009 Peterbilt 378; 2007 Peterbilt 379; 2008 Peterbilt 379; 2009 Peterbilt 379; 2007 Peterbilt 384; 2008 Peterbilt 384; 2009 Peterbilt 384; 2007 Peterbilt 385; 2008 Peterbilt 385; 2009 Peterbilt 385; 2007 Peterbilt 386; 2008 Peterbilt 386; 2009 Peterbilt 386; 2007 Peterbilt 387; 2008 Peterbilt 387; 2009 Peterbilt 387; 2007 Peterbilt 388; 2008 Peterbilt 388; 2009 Peterbilt 388; 2007 Peterbilt 389; 2008 Peterbilt 389; 2009 Peterbilt 389.
A vehicle page’s investigation list carries the same action; a name here is the scope NHTSA opened, not a list of affected VINs.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs PE10029 a recall?
No — it is the investigation that led to one. Recall 10V634000 is the campaign; its page carries the remedy.
Is PE10029 still open?
No. It closed on Dec 23, 2010 and led to recall 10V634000.
Which vehicles does PE10029 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 48 model years: 2007 Kenworth T600, 2008 Kenworth T600, 2009 Kenworth T600, 2007 Kenworth T660, 2008 Kenworth T660, 2009 Kenworth T660 and more. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.