Investigations
VOLVO XC90 BATTERY CABLE FAILURES
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE05057 - closed, opened 2005-11-02 and involving the VOLVO VOLVO.
NHTSA investigation PE05057 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2005-11-02 and currently closed. The subject of record is VOLVO VOLVO, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for VOLVO. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2006-03-23 - 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 PE05057 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 OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, PE05-057 BASED ON EARLY WARNING DATA SUBMITTED TO ODI BY VOLVO. THE DATA CONTAINED FIELD REPORTS OF THERMAL FAILURES OF THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE. ON..." 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 VOLVO files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
THE OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, PE05-057 BASED ON EARLY WARNING DATA SUBMITTED TO ODI BY VOLVO. THE DATA CONTAINED FIELD REPORTS OF THERMAL FAILURES OF THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE. ON NOVEMBER 17, 2005, VOLVO NOTIFIED ODI THAT IT HAD IDENTIFIED A SAFETY DEFECT IN THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLES IN APPROXIMATELY 9,000 MY 2005 VOLVO XC90 VEHICLES WITH SIX CYLINDER ENGINES THAT COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. VOLVO RECALLED THE AFFECTED VEHICLES TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL GROUNDING CONDITION (NHTSA RECALL #05V-529). THERE WERE 13 COMPLAINTS, INCLUDING 4 FIRES, AND 10 WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO THE CONDITION ADDRESSED BY 05V-529. DURING PE05-057, VOLVO ALSO PROVIDED ODI WITH INFORMATION REGARDING THREE OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO THE BATTERY CABLE/TERMINALS IN MY 2005 XC90 VEHICLES: 1) UNDER TORQUED BATTERY CABLE ATTACHING FASTENERS TO THE STARTER ALLEGEDLY CAUSING ENGINE STALLS AND MELTED PARTS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT (APPLICABLE TO V8 ENGINES ONLY). 2) THE JACK HANDLE MAY BE CRITICALLY MISPOSITIONED AGAINST THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE/POST ALLEGEDLY CAUSING FIRES IN SOME VEHICLES (APPLICABLE TO ALL XC90 VEHICLES). 3) A POTENTIAL CHAFFING CONDITION OF THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE TO A SHARP EDGED SHEET METAL FLANGE IN THE REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENT. (APPLICABLE TO ALL XC90 VEHICLES). THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA06-006) TO ASSESS THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF EACH OF THESE ISSUES.
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 VOLVO Investigations
Discrepancies in Required CFR Reporting
Ride Quality
Windshield Wiper Failures
Volvo Sleeper glass de-bonding
Central Electronic Module Failure
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.