KME preliminary evaluation PE19016
Aerial Turntable Failures. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the mechanical on 9 model years (2012–2019). Opened Nov 12, 2019, closed Mar 5, 2020 after 4 months. It led to safety recall 20V006000. became a recall
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedThe Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this PE on November 12th, 2019 after receiving 2 consumer complaints alleging the aerial turntable on their 2013 KME fire trucks were supplied from the manufacturer without lubrication. When inspected, it was found that some of the turntable internal gears had seized and other gearbox internals were severely corroded and pitted due to lack of lubrication. ODI interviewed the two complainants and received documentation showing failed gearing and drive-planetaries due to a lack of lubrication. In addition, ODI visited the manufacturer's assembly plant to learn about the drive system and how it is received from the supplier Kraft Hydraulics. ODI learned the electric motor and apparatus are shipped dry. The system is then painted by KME prior to assembly on the fire truck when lubrication is then supposed to occur. KME has acknowledged the missed production step of filling the turntables with lubricating oil after installation on the vehicle. The turntable gearbox is supposed to contain lubricating oil to reduce friction and protect internal gears from corrosion. If the turntable was not filled with lubricating oil, it may seize or freely traverse without control, possibly striking objects and potentially endangering fire fighter safety. As part of the safety recall, KME will inspect and verify if the turntables contain lubricating oil. If not, they will be sent to the manufacturer for rebuild. If the owner has already incurred costs to remedy this issue, they will be directed in the notification letter to contact KME for reimbursement. This Preliminary Evaluation has been closed with a voluntary safety recall released by the manufacturer (20V-006).The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at:http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAIDusing the following complaint identification numbers: 1089324 and 11206194
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: 2014 KME Aerialcat; 2012 KME Predator SS Aerial; 2013 KME Predator SS Aerial; 2014 KME Predator SS Aerial; 2015 KME Predator SS Aerial; 2016 KME Predator SS Aerial; 2017 KME Predator SS Aerial; 2018 KME Predator SS Aerial; 2019 KME Predator SS Aerial.
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 PE19016 a recall?
No — it is the investigation that led to one. Recall 20V006000 is the campaign; its page carries the remedy.
Is PE19016 still open?
No. It closed on Mar 5, 2020 and led to recall 20V006000.
Which vehicles does PE19016 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 9 model years: 2014 KME Aerialcat, 2012 KME Predator SS Aerial, 2013 KME Predator SS Aerial, 2014 KME Predator SS Aerial, 2015 KME Predator SS Aerial, 2016 KME Predator SS Aerial 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.