Cornhusker preliminary evaluation PE13032
Trailer Structural Cracks. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the frame and members on 6 model years (2008–2013). Opened Sep 20, 2013, closed Mar 10, 2014 after 6 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedThis investigation was open based on information ODI received through Early Warning Reporting. After gathering data, interviewing fleets and analyzing the available information ODI has not identified a safety defect trend. In response to an ODI request, Cornhusker reported 36 warranty claims related to the alleged defect. None of the claims resulted in a loss of vehicle control. In all cases the driver identified the component failure and placed the vehicle out of service without incident. ODI was concerned that a structural member failure would allow the trailer to separate or to drop down and contact the drive tires and increase the risk of a crash. However, no reports of these conditions were received. ODI also requested fleet contact information and spoke with five fleets. When asked if this condition created a safety risk, none answered affirmatively. All responding fleets were easily able to identify the failure and get it corrected without injury or property damage. Cornhusker provided a finite element analysis (FEA) of the failure area that showed how the structural members were failing and explained that the area in question was ahead of the kingpin and centered in the middle of the trailer. Cornhusker stated that even in cases of extreme neglect and failure, the pin plate bowed up slightly, but showed no signs of the trailer separating or falling down on the tractor driving wheels. In comparing the failure mode on the trailers subject of this investigation with trailers that have been recalled for similar failure modes, ODI found that in recall 06V-336 from Wilson Trailer Co. the area in question was behind the kingpin and to the side where the assembly attaches to the trailer bottom rail. When structure in this area fails, the trailer could fall down and contact the driving wheels on the tractor causing loss of vehicle control. ODI found that the average in-service time to failure was 34 months, with 93% of failures occurring prior to 4 years of service. At this time, the majority of trailers (77%) have already passed this milestone. Cornhusker has been requested to notify ODI of any additional failures which occur prior to March 31, 2015 at which point all of the subject trailers will have reached 4 years in service. ODI is not aware of any allegations of subject trailers becoming detached or contacting the drive wheels of the towing vehicle due to the alleged defect. There have been no reports of crash or loss of vehicle control related to the alleged defect. There have been no reports of property damage beyond the subject trailer and all affected trailers have been repaired and returned to service. There have been no reports of injury or death. A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
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 closed without a recall. That means NHTSA found no defect trend it chose to act on at the time, or the manufacturer addressed the condition another way (a service campaign or a bulletin, which have their own pages). A closed file can be reopened if new reports arrive.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2008 Cornhusker Hopper; 2009 Cornhusker Hopper; 2010 Cornhusker Hopper; 2011 Cornhusker Hopper; 2012 Cornhusker Hopper; 2013 Cornhusker Hopper.
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 PE13032 a recall?
No. A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA asking questions, not a recall. A safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number and a duty to repair for free; this one closed without one. Whether one particular vehicle has an open recall is a VIN question at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is PE13032 still open?
No. It closed on Mar 10, 2014 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE13032 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 6 model years: 2008 Cornhusker Hopper, 2009 Cornhusker Hopper, 2010 Cornhusker Hopper, 2011 Cornhusker Hopper, 2012 Cornhusker Hopper, 2013 Cornhusker Hopper. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.