Investigations
ENGINE FIRES
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE05049 - closed, opened 2005-09-09.
NHTSA investigation PE05049 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2005-09-09 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2005-12-16 - 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 PE05049 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: "THE OPENING OF THIS INVESTIGATION WAS BASED ON TWO ISSUES, THE FIRST BEING A PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (PIP) RELEASED BY CATERPILLAR (PI30821) RELATING TO AN OIL LINE LEAK ON CERTAIN C15 ENGINES THAT CAN OCCUR AT THE R..." 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
THE OPENING OF THIS INVESTIGATION WAS BASED ON TWO ISSUES, THE FIRST BEING A PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (PIP) RELEASED BY CATERPILLAR (PI30821) RELATING TO AN OIL LINE LEAK ON CERTAIN C15 ENGINES THAT CAN OCCUR AT THE RIGHT REAR TURBO-CHARGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THIS PIP INCLUDES A LETTER SENT TO OWNERS OF THE C15 ENGINES THAT STATES THAT THE MANUFACTURER "URGES" THE OWNER TO HAVE THE SERVICE PERFORMED "FOR YOUR ADDED SAFETY AND SATISFACTION". THE SECOND ISSUE WAS A REPORT FORWARDED TO ODI FROM A FIRE INVESTIGATOR IN CANADA. THIS INVESTIGATOR REPORTED THAT HE HAD INVESTIGATED A FIRE ON A 2005 MODEL YEAR KENWORTH T800 WITH A CATERPILLAR C15 ENGINE. THE INVESTIGATION FOUND THE FIRE ORIGINATED AT THE RIGHT REAR OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE BURNED VEHICLE WERE FORWARDED WITH THE REPORT. AS A RESULT OF ODITHE OPENING OF THIS INVESTIGATION WAS BASED ON TWO ISSUES, THE FIRST BEING A PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (PIP) RELEASED BY CATERPILLAR (PI30821) RELATING TO AN OIL LINE LEAK ON CERTAIN C15 ENGINES THAT CAN OCCUR AT THE RIGHT REAR TURBO-CHARGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THIS PIP INCLUDES A LETTER SENT TO OWNERS OF THE C15 ENGINES THAT STATES THAT THE MANUFACTURER "URGES" THE OWNER TO HAVE THE SERVICE PERFORMED "FOR YOUR ADDED SAFETY AND SATISFACTION". THE SECOND ISSUE WAS A REPORT FORWARDED TO ODI FROM A FIRE INVESTIGATOR IN CANADA. THIS INVESTIGATOR REPORTED THAT HE HAD INVESTIGATED A FIRE ON A 2005 MODEL YEAR KENWORTH T800 WITH A CATERPILLAR C15 ENGINE. THE INVESTIGATION FOUND THE FIRE ORIGINATED AT THE RIGHT REAR OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE BURNED VEHICLE WERE FORWARDED WITH THE REPORT. AS A RESULT OF ODI¿S INVESTIGATION, CATERPILLAR HAS AGREED TO CONVERT THE PIP TO A SAFETY RECALL. THE RECALL REMEDY WILL INVOLVE THE ADDITION OF A CLIP THAT WILL PREVENT VVA LINE ABRASION AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE VVA LINE IF INSPECTIONS SHOWS SIGNS OF WEAR. THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS ( FREIGHTLINER, WESTERN STAR, AND PACCAR) WILL BE NOTIFIFIED BY CATERPIL
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.