[September 21, 2006]
Hummer probe asks aid of rivals
(Sacramento Bee, The (CA) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 20--As part of an ongoing probe into why wheels are falling off Hummer H2s, federal highway safety investigators have asked three major makers of rival large sport-utility vehicles for comparable information to determine if the Hummer's troubles are unique.
The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration set a deadline of this Friday for Toyota Motor Corp., DaimlerChrysler Corp. and Ford Motor Co., to produce any reports, consumer complaints, warranty claims and lawsuits since 2003 involving the failure of a metal part called a steering knuckle on their SUVs or pickups.
NHTSA spokesman Rae Tyson said the data would be used to compare the steering part's failure rates on Hummer H2s, made by General Motors, with those on other big SUVs.
"The information obtained will be one of several things that we will evaluate as part of the ongoing defect investigation," Tyson said. "It's standard operating procedure and helpful to compare. The question is: Is the Hummer failure rate excessive?"
The Bee reported in July that the NHTSA was investigating 26 cases in which owners of Hummer H2s complained that wheels either fell off or their front suspension collapsed after the steering knuckle fractured and failed.
NHTSA safety engineers also have gathered information about an additional 61 steering knuckle failures on three-quarter-ton GM Suburban and Avalanche pickups that used the same metal part, federal documents show.
General Motors denies there is a safety problem with the steering knuckle, which holds the upper and lower steering arms in place near the front tires on the Hummer H2 and some GM trucks.
In a response to the federal government, GM officials said that knuckle-related collapses and wheel separation incidents were rare and a consequence -- not cause -- of crashes and collisions of H2s.
But in June 2003, GM changed the knuckle part starting with model year 2004 H2 vehicles. Because there has not been a recall of the part, however, the older part remains on the 47,900 vehicles for the 2003 model year.
NHTSA's letters to GM's rivals, dated Aug. 28 and obtained by The Bee, state that failure to comply with the Friday deadline could lead to fines of up to $6,000 a day.
Signed by Kathleen C. DeMeter, a safety assurance official in the NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, the letters also mention a detail concerning the Hummer part failures not previously highlighted by investigators.
"This phenomenon typically occurs at low speed during instances of high steering articulation," DeMeter wrote, meaning sharp turns to the far left or right.
The NHTSA, which is responsible for reducing deaths, injuries and economic losses related to motor vehicle crashes on U.S. highways, has until late October to decide if it will order GM to initiate a recall of H2s to replace the steering knuckles.
Among H2 owners, the situation has caused much debate.
Jason Manding, a Stockton man whose family owns a 2003 H2, said he would like GM to initiate a voluntary recall now that questions have been raised about the reliability and safety of its steering knuckle. He said his wife drives his family's SUV and he is worried about the part failing with her at the wheel.
Though Manding said he has checked the knuckles on his SUV for
signs of trouble and found nothing, he said he no longer has full confidence in his vehicle and is considering replacing the original knuckles.
Southern Californian Roger Drapeau owns a white 2003 H2 and opposes a GM recall.
"I've had mine for three years and I have done some really heavy duty off-roading in the desert and I haven't had any problems," said Drapeau, who lives in La Mesa, east of San Diego. "My sons also own GM trucks that I understand have the same steering knuckles in them and they haven't had any trouble, either."
Roman Rivera, of Burlingame, owner of a 2005 H2, had more mixed feelings. "A recall is a little severe if there have only been 26 cases, but at the same time, if there's a problem, GM needs to correct it," he said. "For a high-end vehicle like this, you should be able to go off-roading with it and not have any issues."
Max Gates, a spokesman for DaimlerChrysler USA, confirmed that the automaker had received the regulator's letter. Asked if his company has had steering knuckle failures, Gates declined to comment, saying his product officials are still gathering information.
Cindy Knight, spokeswoman for Toyota North America , based in Torrance, said her company also has received the letter and that product safety officials are reviewing company databases and files for any related cases.
"As far as we know, we haven't had any problem with that part, but we are double-checking our files and warranty databases to make sure," Knight said.
Ford spokesman Kristen Kinley said her review of Ford's recall database and field services reports for the Ford Explorer, Expedition and Excursion, an 8,500-pound vehicle similar in size to a Hummer, located no consumer complaints or troubles with any of its steering knuckles.
A Bee review of the NHTSA's online consumer database also found no complaints about defective steering knuckles with Ford or Toyota SUVs or trucks.
The search did turn up a 2004 recall by DaimlerChrysler of 600,000 Dodge Durango and Dakota SUVs to replace weak front upper ball joints that were causing wheels and steering knuckles to separate from their vehicles.
In those cases, the documents indicate, the knuckles themselves were not a concern.
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09-27-2006, 06:35 PM
Hummer probe asks aid of rivals
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