NHTSA Complaint #10761888 — 2014 TAOTAO ATM50-A1

THE 2014 TAOTAO ATM50-A1 ROUTES THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE INSIDE THE FRONT FENDER AS IT CONNECTS TO THE FRONT DISC BRAKE CALIPER. THE HOSE IS HELD AWAY FROM THE FRONT TIRE ONLY BY A SINGLE RETAINING WIRE WELDED TO THE FRONT FENDER'S LEFT SUPPORT ARM. ON MY UNIT, THE WIRE BROKE APART, ALLOWING THE BRAKE HOSE TO RUB AGAINST THE FRONT TIRE UNTIL THE BRAKE HOSE FAILED. THE RETAINING WIRE'S FAILURE WAS DUE TO FATIGUE, FROM TRYING TO HOLD THE BRAKE HOSE STATIONARY AS THE HOSE MOVED UP AND DOWN WITH THE FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY. THE WIRE BROKE HALFWAY BETWEEN THE POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE HOSE AND THE POINT WHERE IT WAS WELDED TO THE FRONT FENDER'S LEFT SUPPORT ARM. I SUSPECT THAT ALL TAOTAO ATM50-A1 MOTOR DRIVEN CYCLES MAY SHARE THIS SAME DESIGN DEFECT, REGARDLESS OF MODEL YEAR, AND THAT THEY MAY ALSO BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SPEEDOMETER CABLE FAILURE SINCE THAT CABLE IS HELD AWAY FROM THE FRONT TIRE BY A RETAINING WIRE WELDED TO THE FRONT FENDER'S RIGHT SUPPORT ARM. I STRONGLY URGE ALL TAOTAO ATM50-A1 OWNERS WHO READ THIS COMPLAINT TO REMOVE THE FRONT FENDER AND EXAMINE THE CONDITION OF THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE AND RETAINING WIRE. IF THE HOSE APPEARS DAMAGED, I RECOMMEND REPLACEMENT BY A HIGH-QUALITY HOSE EQUIPPED WITH A PROTECTIVE METAL COIL. I ALSO RECOMMEND REROUTING THE BRAKE HOSE ALONG THE OUTSIDE OF THE FENDER TO MAXIMIZE ITS DISTANCE FROM THE FRONT TIRE, WHETHER THE HOSE IS REPLACED OR NOT.