Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRAILER HITCHES - FIFTH WHEEL ASSEMBLY | ||||||||||||||||
| 11V209000 | MACK TRUCKS, INC | from 01/01/2008 to 07/30/2010 | V (Vehicle) | 808 | ODI | MACK TRUCKS, INC | 03/31/2011 | 04/01/2011 | ||||||||
| Defect Summary | Mack trucks is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 chu and cxu heavy trucks manufactured from january 2008 through july 2010. there may be an interference with the bolts used to secure the fifth wheel to the frame that can prevent the bolts from being torqued to specification. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | The bolts may fail and could result in the fifth wheel coming loose causing the trailer to separate from the tractor increasing the risk of a crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will inspect and replace the bolts as required free of charge. the safety recall is expected to begin on or before may 30, 2011. owners may contact mack trucks at 1-800-866-1177. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Mack trucks recall no. sc0351.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov . | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRAILER HITCHES - FIFTH WHEEL ASSEMBLY | |||||
| FSB-922-003 | 01/01/2011 | 10040055 | Ready | 08/15/2011 | |
| FSB-922-003 | 01/01/2011 | 10040055 | Mack trucks: some of the fifth wheel mounting hardware may be contacting the huck bolts that are used to mount the fifth wheel mounting brackets to the frame. there is a procedure to address the issue. *rm | 08/15/2011 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRAILER HITCHES - FIFTH WHEEL ASSEMBLY | ||||||
| PE10042 | MACK TRUCKS, INC | 11/04/2010 | 04/27/2011 | Failing 5th wheel attachment bolts | 11V209000 | |
| On october 3rd 2010 the office of defects investigation (odi) received two complaints on 2009 - 2010 mack cxu612 and cxu trucks for failing bolts that clamp the 5th wheel to the frame of the truck. on january 19, 2011 odi opened this preliminary evaluation.during the course of the investigation odi took possession of fasteners from the field.these fasteners, taken off subject complaint vehicles, exhibited 'hourglass like stretching' indicating plastic deformation.this same source supplied odi with new fasteners (for the subject vehicle) that were recently purchased and never used.the bolts supplied by the manufacturer are m16 x 2 class 10.9 bolts.per sae j1199, these bolts should have a proof load 130 kn (~29,000 lbf) and tensile strength of 163 kn (~36,600 lbf).these bolts are not designed to be torque to yield.odi took possession of these field samples and sent them to (vrtc) vehicle research and testing center for testing.some of the new and used fasteners from the field were tested to the sae j1199 standard and all passed.other tests at vrtc indicated that the stretched bolts were likely the result of over torque during installation or maintenance.vrtc tested other methods to pre-tension the bolts and found that load indicating washers and turn-of-the-nut method both gave better clamping load control than a torque wrench.in february 2011 mack started to perform field inspections associated with this investigation in an attempt to understand the cause of the bolt failures.during these inspections, mack discovered that there was an interference with the bolts used to secure the fifth wheel to the frame.this interference can prevent the bolts from being torqued to specification.if this occurs, the bolt(s) may fail and in extreme cases may result in the fifth wheel coming loose causing the trainer to separate from the tractor.mack has issued a voluntary safety recall 11v-209 for (failure of fifth wheel mounting bolts). however, claims in the field suggest the manufactured supplied fasteners are inferior and stretch regardless of interference.odi will continue to monitor this issue and follow the completion progress.if failures continue, odi may open another investigation to investigate future failures.mack truck's recall action resolves the issues raised by this investigation and, therefore, this investigation is closed. | ||||||
| PE10042 | MACK TRUCKS, INC | 11/04/2010 | 5th wheel frame bolts are failing | |||
| On october 3rd 2010 the office of defects investigation (odi) received two complaints on 2009 - 2010 mack cxu612 and cxu trucks for failing bolts that clamp the 5th wheel to the frame of the truck.the bolts supplied by the manufacture are class 10.9; 16 mm fasteners that have a rated minimum clamping force of 142,200 psi. odi was made aware of several incidents concerning bolts that clamp the 5th wheel to the frame of the subject trucks allegedly failing in yield prior to reaching the specified torque requirement.furthermore, the complainant alleges that during the preventive maintenance schedule of these trucks the bolts are often loose and once the technician tries to retighten the bolt it stretches.this failure also exacerbates in allowing the 5th wheel plate (once loose) to move on the truck frame.pictures have been supplied to odi showing this phenomenon as evidence to witness marks on the frame from the plate sliding back and forth; due to loose and sometimes missing bolts.per the safety motor carrier safety regulations under ~ 393.70 coupling devices and towing methods: the lower half of a fifth wheel mounted on a truck tractor or converter dolly must be secured to the frame of that vehicle with properly designed brackets, mounting plates or angles and properly tighten bolts of adequate size and grade or devices that provide equivalent security.the installation must include a device for positively preventing the lower half of the fifth wheel from shifting on the frame to which it is attached.odi has taken possession of several bolts that were taken off subject vehicles that exhibit extreme fatigue and hourglass like stretching. after reviewing the testimonial(s), pictures from the field, physical evidence and considering the inherent risk of a coupling device failing on a 5th wheel truck, odi has opened this preliminary evaluation. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRAILER HITCHES | |||
| 09/27/2010 | |||
| Some of the 2008, many of the 2009, and almost all of the 2010 model mack trucks used by abf freight system were built and delivered with weak bolts holding the 5th wheel coupler to the frame. on 27 sept 2010, unit 19212 was in the shop for routine repairs. a mechanic noticed that all of the bolts on the right side were loose enough to rattle in their holes and that the coupler was sliding around on the frame. the manager instructed us to tighten the bolts and not to replace any unless they stretched. all of the bolts stretched. all were replaced. | |||
| 09/23/2010 | 179708 | ||
| My coworker was changing the oil on a 2009 mack and i happened to notice that the 5th wheel plate was shifting around on the frame. i applied a box end wrench to the mount bolts and discovered that all ten of the fasteners holding the 5th wheel to the frame could be turned easily using one hand. that is not my idea of being securely attached! no action was taken on this truck because it was time to go home and if the boss doesn't care and mack doesn't care what can i do except complain to the federal government that mack is using substandard bolts in the assembly of their trucks! the 5th wheels are loose. management doesn't want to know! be very afraid on the highways my fellow americans, you are more likely to die from a truck accident than you are from a terrorist attack! | |||