Investigations
LOSS OF ADAPTIVE STEERING CONTROL
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE04056 - closed, opened 2004-08-03 and involving the CHRYSLER CHRYSLER.
NHTSA investigation PE04056 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2004-08-03 and currently closed. The subject of record is CHRYSLER CHRYSLER, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for CHRYSLER. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2004-12-08 - 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 PE04056 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 PE WAS OPENED BASED ON AN OHIO DISABLED OWNER'S ALLEGATION THAT THE IDS HLSS ADAPTIVE STEERING SYSTEM, INSTALLED IN HIS FORD E250 VAN, SUDDENLY FAILED WHILE UNDERWAY RESULTING IN A CRASH. SHORTLY AFTER OPENING THE P..." 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. Related CHRYSLER files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
THIS PE WAS OPENED BASED ON AN OHIO DISABLED OWNER'S ALLEGATION THAT THE IDS HLSS ADAPTIVE STEERING SYSTEM, INSTALLED IN HIS FORD E250 VAN, SUDDENLY FAILED WHILE UNDERWAY RESULTING IN A CRASH. SHORTLY AFTER OPENING THE PE, ODI BECAME AWARE OF ANOTHER IDS STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE ALLEGATION IN OHIO, THIS ONE INVOLVING A 1998 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY MINIVAN. WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT, THE STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED TO RESPOND TO INPUTS AND WOULD STEER EITHER FULL LOCK LEFT OR RIGHT UNINTIONALLY. NO CRASH RESULTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TRANSPORTED TO VRTC (NHTSA'S TEST FACILITY) FOR DIAGNOSIS. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE BRIEFED THE IDS PRESIDENT. IDS THEN DECIDED TO CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (04E-089) OF ITS STEERING SYSTEMS. WITH IDS' RECALL, THIS PE IS CLOSED. A COPY OF THE RECALL IS ATTACHED.
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.
Other CHRYSLER Investigations
Recall 23V-413 Post Remedy Failures
Intermittent Loss of Electric Power Steering
Recall 19V-293 Post Remedy Failures
Engine Stall With Intermittent Restart
Loss of motive power due to an internal wiring connector short.
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.