Investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE03008 - closed, opened 2003-02-24.
NHTSA investigation PE03008 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2003-02-24 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2003-06-30 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE03008 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "ODI IS NOW AWARE OF 37 FIRES REPORTED IN THE SUBJECT POPULATION. ODI FIRE INVESTIGATIONS HAVE DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF SOME OF THE FIRES BUT ADDITIONAL FIRES NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED TO DETERMINE IF ANY OTHER CAUSES MAY EX..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time.
Investigation Summary
ODI IS NOW AWARE OF 37 FIRES REPORTED IN THE SUBJECT POPULATION. ODI FIRE INVESTIGATIONS HAVE DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF SOME OF THE FIRES BUT ADDITIONAL FIRES NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED TO DETERMINE IF ANY OTHER CAUSES MAY EXIST. ADDITIONAL FIRE INVESTIGATIONS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND BUS OPERATORS. REPORTS OF THE RESULTS OF THESE INVESTIGATIONS ARE CURRENTLY BEING COMPILED AND WILL BE FORTHCOMING IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.