9999 HALDEX AIR BRAKE ACTUATOR

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE21018) based on eleven Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ). These VOQs included seven wheel-end fires on various Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks.Several of the VOQs were submitted by a maintenance facility stating that the ... fires were due to power spring fractures within brake chambers manufactured by Haldex Commercial Vehicle Systems (Haldex). According to the reports, the fractured spring punctured the brake chamber diaphragm, resulting in a partial loss of compressed air to the park brakes, causing the brakes to drag and overheat. ODI sent an information request letter to Haldex on August 3, 2021. On October 17, 2021, Haldex submitted a complete response. In this investigation, ODI analyzed thousands of warranty claims as well as fleet reports of brake chamber replacements. ODI gathered information from multiple vehicle manufacturers and reviewed legal testimony alleging defects and laboratory reports that raised concerns about spring failures initiated by corrosion. ODI found that spring failures were often detectable as soon as they occurred. In the subject incidents, after detecting the failures, some operators continued driving to a maintenance facility rather than stopping and waiting for a mobile technician to address the issue, increasing the risk of fire. While over twenty entities purchased the subject component from Haldex, the VOQs that ODI received involved only PACCAR vehicles. Haldex completed replacement campaigns for several fleets operating PACCAR vehicles, reducing the risk of further failures. Brake chambers have a limited service life. Industry guidance generally recommends replacement every two to four years depending on operating conditions, with some manufacturers and fleets recommending even shorter intervals. Vehicles operating in salt-belt states—where the majority of VOQs originated—require more frequent replacement than vehicles in less corrosive environments. Haldex’s standard warranty is four years and unlimited mileage. ODI determined that the average time in service for warranty claims was 4.9 years and 260,000 miles. Currently, all of the chambers subject to this investigation are between five and ten years old. Given the absence of recent failures and because the subject components are now older than their expected service life, ODI is closing this investigation. 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.Read more

In a part 573 Safety Recall Report dated March 4, 2015, Haldex Commercial Vehicle Systems notified NHTSA that it decided that a defect exists in certain Type 30/30 Long Stroke Haldex Life Seal Actuators manufactured from December 17, 2013 to February 18, 2015. The affected actuators are equipped wit... h an incomplete attachment of the internal rubber diaphragm to the actuation mechanism of the parking brake section of the Life Seal Actuator. If the brakes drag or overheat it may result in smoke or thermal damage to the vehicle and/or chassis components.On December 7, 2015 the Office of defects Investigation opened Equipment Query, EQ15-006, in order to obtain Haldex's customer list and to contact the companies that purchased the defective actuators, notify them of the defect, and ensure thorough safety recalls are conducted where appropriate. Eighteen Information Request letters were sent out on May 3, 2016, to each corresponding company requesting a safety recall decision be made, the requisite notice filed, and recall campaign conducted where appropriate. As a result, the following five companies have filed defect reports and are conducting safety recalls:?Meritor, Inc. (16E-004) ?John Evans Mfg. (16V-470) ?West-Mark (16V-399) ?Vanguard National Trailer Company (16V-025) ?Western Trailer Company (16V-019)The following six companies have provided written statements that they were not manufacturers, did not receive, and/or did not sell any products containing the defective actuators to costumers in the USA:?Schnure Manufacturing Company, Inc.?Bud's Spring & Suspension Service ?Aurora Parts & Accessories ?Westmor Industries, LLC ?Stoughton Trailers, LLC ?Mac TrailerThe following six companies were included in recalls prior to the opening of the EQ:?Holland Binkely Company (15V-017) ?New Life Transport Parts (15V-017) ?Westport Trailers (15V-026) ?Hendrickson (15V-017) ?Fenix Forwarding Inc. (15V-166) ?Gonzales de Castilla-Camiones y Motores (14V-808)The remaining company did not respond and was unable to be reached. They will be referred to Chief Counsel: ?Pratt Industries All vehicle and motor vehicle equipment manufacturers have been identified and have either filed recall reports and are conducting recalls, or have provided responses explaining why they are not conducting recalls. Accordingly, this equipment query investigation is closed.Read more