Investigations
STARTER CABLE CHANGE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE05016 - closed, opened 2005-03-17.
NHTSA investigation PE05016 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2005-03-17 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2005-06-22 - 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 PE05016 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: "IN NOVEMBER 2004, NEOPLAN CONDUCTED A FIELD SERVICE RETROFIT/REPAIR PROCEDURE (FSRP # 04-092) TO RELOCATE THE HEAVY GAUGE WIRES (CABLES) CONNECTED TO THE STARTER STUD. THE PURPOSE WAS TO RELIEVE THE STRESS ON THE STARTER..." 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
IN NOVEMBER 2004, NEOPLAN CONDUCTED A FIELD SERVICE RETROFIT/REPAIR PROCEDURE (FSRP # 04-092) TO RELOCATE THE HEAVY GAUGE WIRES (CABLES) CONNECTED TO THE STARTER STUD. THE PURPOSE WAS TO RELIEVE THE STRESS ON THE STARTER SOLENOID HOUSING. THIS ACTION ALSO STABILIZED THE CABLES FROM VIBRATIONS CAUSED BY THE DIESEL ENGINE. ATTACHING UNSUPPORTED, MULTIPLE HEAVY GAUGE WIRES TO THE STARTER STUD IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE INDUSTRY PRACTICE, SINCE OVER TIME THEY MAY OVERSTRESS THE STARTER STUD, RESULTING IN A FRACTURE OF THE STARTER SOLENOID HOUSING. THIS WILL USUALLY RESULT IN THE WIRES (WHICH CARRY FULL BATTERY VOLTAGE), CONTACTING GROUND AND CREATING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE. AS A RESULT OF ODI¿S INVESTIGATION, NEOPLAN REEVALUATED ITS POSITION ON THIS MATTER AND DECIDED THAT THE APPROPRIATE ACTION WAS TO FILE A SAFTEY RECALL WITH THE AGENCY ON THIS MATTER. NEOPLAN RELOCATED THE STARTER CABLES TO STABLIZE AND RELIEVE THE STRESS ON THE SOLENOID STUD (CREATED BY THE VIBRATION PRODUCED BY THE DIESEL ENGINE). ONLY BUSES SOLD TO NEW JERSEY TRANSIT WERE AFFECTED AND SUBSEQUENT BUSES BUILT AFTERWARDS HAD THE STARTER CABLE UPDATE INCORPORATED AT TIME OF DELIVERY. A COPY OF THE SAFETY RECALL IS ATTACHED. NEOPLAN¿S ACTION RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
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.