Investigations
ALTERNATOR FAILURE/ ENGINE STALLING
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE04077 - closed, opened 2004-11-19 and involving the NISSAN NISSAN.
NHTSA investigation PE04077 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2004-11-19 and currently closed. The subject of record is NISSAN NISSAN, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for NISSAN. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2005-03-25 - 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 PE04077 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 OPENED PE04-077 BASED ON 14 REPORTS OF ALLEGED ENGINE STALLING DUE TO ALTERNATOR FAILURE. ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS REPORTED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED AFTER THE STALL OCCURRED. DURING PE04-077, ADDITIONAL F..." 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 NISSAN files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
ODI OPENED PE04-077 BASED ON 14 REPORTS OF ALLEGED ENGINE STALLING DUE TO ALTERNATOR FAILURE. ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS REPORTED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED AFTER THE STALL OCCURRED. DURING PE04-077, ADDITIONAL FAILURE DATA WAS IDENTIFIED AS NOTED IN THE FAILURE REPORT SUMMARY ABOVE . DURING THE INVESTIGATION, NISSAN IDENTIFIED THAT THERE HAD BEEN ALTERNATOR WARRANTY REPLACEMENTS DUE TO AN OPEN CIRCUIT IN THE ROTOR COIL CAUSED BY WIRE FATIGUE. ODI¿S ANALYSIS SHOWS FAILURE RATES THAT ARE OF CONCERN TO ODI AND INDICATES THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT IS CONTINUING TO OCCUR IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. ODI'S ANALYSIS ALSO SHOWS THAT NEARLY ALL OF THE ALTERNATOR WARRANTY CLAIMS SUBMITTED RESULTED IN ENGINE STALLS AND AT LEAST 25% OF THE ENGINE STALLS RESULTED IN A NO RESTART CONDITION. HOWEVER, IN 71% OF THE WARRANTY DATA SUBMITTED, ODI HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE CONSUMER COULD RESTART THE VEHICLE. THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS CONCERN, TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES, AND TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF THE AFFECTED POPULATION.
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 NISSAN Investigations
Driver Airbag Inflator Rupture
Inner Tie Rod Failures
Side curtain air bags may deploy inadvertently
Reduced Power After Engine Stall
Loss of motive power due to broken crankshaft with no ability to restart.
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.