Investigations
ENGINE COOLING FAN BLADE FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE05039 - closed, opened 2005-07-13.
NHTSA investigation PE05039 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2005-07-13 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2005-11-14 - 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 PE05039 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 ON JULY 13, 2005, BASED ON FOUR ODI CONSUMER REPORTS. ODI CONTACTED ALL OF THOSE COMPLAINANTS AND EACH OF THEM REPORTED THAT PIECES OF THE BROKEN FAN BLADE HAD DAMAGED THE RADIATOR AND PENET..." 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 ON JULY 13, 2005, BASED ON FOUR ODI CONSUMER REPORTS. ODI CONTACTED ALL OF THOSE COMPLAINANTS AND EACH OF THEM REPORTED THAT PIECES OF THE BROKEN FAN BLADE HAD DAMAGED THE RADIATOR AND PENETRATED THROUGH THE PROTECTIVE FAN SHROUD. SINCE OPENING THE INVESTIGATION, ODI HAS RECEIVED 12 NEW CONSUMER REPORTS. IN ITS RESPONSE TO ODI'S PRELIMINARY EVALUATION INFORMATION REQUEST DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION PROVIDED ADDITIONAL OWNER REPORTS AND WARRANTY DATA. THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO ENGINEERING ANALYSIS EA05-020 TO FURTHER STUDY THE ISSUES REGARDING THE ALLEGED FAN FAILURES.
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.