NHTSA closes defect petition review on Fleetwood and Western Star vehicles: Redundant wheel fastener locking mechanism

Vehicles under investigation

As listed in NHTSA’s investigation file. Not every vehicle of a listed model is necessarily affected.

What ODI says

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition on November 21, 2025, requesting a defect investigation to “determine whether the absence of a redundant mechanical wheel-fastener locking mechanism constitutes a safety-related defect in motor vehicles and motor-vehicle equipment” in the heavy-vehicle sector. On March 4, 2026, NHTSA opened Defect Petition DP26002 to evaluate the petitioner's request. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11703245. The petitioner focused on all vehicles utilizing the 10-285.75 mm bolt wheels, also known as 10 Hole 22.5" Hub Pilot Wheels, as the subject of the petition. ODI conducted a comprehensive search of Vehicle Owner Questionnaire's (VOQ) and Early Warning Reporting (EWR) data for vehicles equipped with the subject wheels. Furthermore, ODI reviewed six months of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Motor Carrier Management Information System violation data for commercial vehicles cited for loose/missing wheel fasteners. After a review of this data, ODI has found insufficient evidence to support the petitioner's claim that a safety-related defect exists. The data indicates that instances of loose or missing fasteners typically occur at higher mileages following fleet maintenance activities, rather than as a result of an inherent vehicle manufacturing or design defect. Furthermore, commercial motor vehicle operators are required to conduct daily pre-trip inspections to detect and mitigate loose fasteners before operation. In the absence of a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard requiring wheels to have a redundant locking system and given the lack of evidence establishing a systemic safety defect, ODI is denying this Defect Petition. The denial of this petition does not foreclose the agency from taking further action if warranted or making a future finding that a safety-related defect exists based upon additional information the agency may receive. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Official summary by NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation for DP26002, quoted in full (U.S. government work, public domain).

What owners have reported

Owners filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the model years in this investigation. These are all complaints on file for those vehicles, about any problem, not only this one; complaints are unverified owner reports.

Recalls and problems for these vehicles

• Fleetwood Fortis recalls by model year
  Fleetwood Fortis complaints, TSBs and investigations
• Western Star 5700 recalls by model year
  Western Star 5700 complaints, TSBs and investigations

Timeline

1. March 4, 2026ODI opens defect petition DP26002
2. August 13, 2026ODI closes DP26002