Peterbilt, Freightliner and 2 others preliminary evaluation PE20006
Intermittent Loss of Power Steering Assist. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the gear box (other than rack and pinion) on 72 model years (2009–2019). Opened May 1, 2020, closed Mar 27, 2024 after 3.9 years without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedOn May 1, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE20006 to investigate complaints of intermittent loss of power steering assist in Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), Volvo Trucks of North America (Volvo) and PACCAR vehicles equipped with a ZF/TRW (TRW) THP60 steering gear. The investigation focused on 2010-2020 DTNA Freightliner Cascadia, M2 and WST; Volvo VN, VAH and VHD and PACCAR 337, 365, 389, 567, 579 model vehicles.Field reports and interviews with fleet drivers allege that high power steering fluid temperatures could result in internal seal and bearing failures causing pressure fluctuation, affecting left and right-hand turns. The inability of the driver to steer the vehicle as intended can increase the risk of a crash and injury. ODI analyzed data provided by TRW, DTNA, Volvo, and PACCAR in response to individual information request letters.ODI found that most failures occurred within the first two years and/or 50,000 miles of service. The claim rate decreased with time and miles in service and remained less than 0.5%. ODI normalized data from each of the manufacturers and determined that there was not a substantial difference in the failures.Additionally, TRW improved a seal in the steering gear in December 2015.Trucks built on or after 2016 (as 2017 and newer model years) show a decreasing trend of failures. In view of the overall low failure rate, the nature of early-life failure, and failure rate trending downward for model years 2017 and newer, this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
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: 2015 Freightliner Cascadia; 2016 Freightliner Cascadia; 2017 Freightliner Cascadia; 2019 Freightliner Cascadia; 2010 Peterbilt 330; 2011 Peterbilt 330; 2012 Peterbilt 330; 2013 Peterbilt 330; 2014 Peterbilt 330; 2015 Peterbilt 330; 2016 Peterbilt 330; 2017 Peterbilt 330; 2018 Peterbilt 330; 2019 Peterbilt 330; 2009 Peterbilt 335; 2010 Peterbilt 337; 2011 Peterbilt 337; 2012 Peterbilt 337; 2013 Peterbilt 337; 2014 Peterbilt 337; 2015 Peterbilt 337; 2016 Peterbilt 337; 2017 Peterbilt 337; 2018 Peterbilt 337; 2019 Peterbilt 337; 2009 Peterbilt 340; 2010 Peterbilt 348; 2011 Peterbilt 348; 2012 Peterbilt 348; 2013 Peterbilt 348; 2014 Peterbilt 348; 2015 Peterbilt 348; 2016 Peterbilt 348; 2017 Peterbilt 348; 2018 Peterbilt 348; 2019 Peterbilt 348; 2010 Peterbilt 382; 2011 Peterbilt 382; 2012 Peterbilt 382; 2013 Peterbilt 382; 2014 Peterbilt 382; 2015 Peterbilt 382; 2016 Peterbilt 382; 2009 Peterbilt 386; 2010 Peterbilt 386; 2011 Peterbilt 386; 2012 Peterbilt 386; 2009 Peterbilt 388; 2010 Peterbilt 388; 2011 Peterbilt 388; 2012 Peterbilt 388; 2015 Peterbilt 389; 2016 Peterbilt 389; 2017 Peterbilt 389; 2018 Peterbilt 389; 2019 Peterbilt 389; 2012 Peterbilt 567; 2013 Peterbilt 567; 2014 Peterbilt 567; 2015 Peterbilt 567 and 12 more.
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 PE20006 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 PE20006 still open?
No. It closed on Mar 27, 2024 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE20006 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 72 model years: 2015 Freightliner Cascadia, 2016 Freightliner Cascadia, 2017 Freightliner Cascadia, 2019 Freightliner Cascadia, 2010 Peterbilt 330, 2011 Peterbilt 330 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.