Investigations
ALTERNATOR FAILURES
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE03028 - closed, opened 2003-07-07.
NHTSA investigation PE03028 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2003-07-07 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2003-12-23 - 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 PE03028 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: "THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED BASED ON REPORTS OF ALTERNATOR FAILURES OCCURRING ON AMBULANCES. ORIGINALLY THE FAILURES WERE THOUGHT TO OCCUR WHEN THE ALTERNATOR CASE BOLT WOULD FRACTURE AND BACK OUT INTO THE FAN. INFORMA..." 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
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED BASED ON REPORTS OF ALTERNATOR FAILURES OCCURRING ON AMBULANCES. ORIGINALLY THE FAILURES WERE THOUGHT TO OCCUR WHEN THE ALTERNATOR CASE BOLT WOULD FRACTURE AND BACK OUT INTO THE FAN. INFORMATION DEVELOPED DURING THE PE INDICATES THAT SOME FANS ARE SIMPLY FAILING ON THEIR OWN. DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ALTERNATOR MANUFACTURER INDICATE THAT THE ALTERNATORS INVOLVED WERE DESIGNED FOR A DIESEL POWERED APPLICATION. ALL KNOWN FAILURES HAVE OCCURED ON GAS POWERED APPLICATIONS. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE ALL GAS POWERED VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT ALTERNATORS. EACH SUBJECT VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE FAILURE AND SOME HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE FAILURES. THE OFFICE HAS COMMUNICATED WITH THE ALTERNATOR MANUFACTURER IN AN EFFORT TO DETERMINE AN APPROPRIATE ALTERNATOR FOR THE GAS ENGINE APPLICATION. ODI WILL BE FOCUSING ON THE APPROPRIATE ALTERNATOR TO BE UTILIZED ON AMBULANCES. ODI IS CONCERNED ABOUT FAILING ALTERNATORS ON AMBULANCES BECAUSE THE VEHICLES BECOME DISABLED AND THEREFORE THE SAFEY OF PATIENTS BEING TRANSPORTED OR AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF THE AMBULANCE MAY BE IMPACTED.
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.