Investigations
FUEL PUMP FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE07033 - closed, opened 2007-06-28 and involving the CHEVROLET CHEVROLET.
NHTSA investigation PE07033 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2007-06-28 and currently closed. The subject of record is CHEVROLET CHEVROLET, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for CHEVROLET. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2007-11-01 - 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 PE07033 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: "AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN OPENED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT. GENERAL MOTORS (GM) HAS IDENTIFIED AN ISSUE WITH ACCELERATED MOTOR BRUS..." 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 CHEVROLET files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN OPENED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT. GENERAL MOTORS (GM) HAS IDENTIFIED AN ISSUE WITH ACCELERATED MOTOR BRUSH WEAR IN THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001 THROUGH 2003 CHEVROLET VEHICLES THAT CAN CAUSE THE PUMP TO STOP OPERATING. GENERAL MOTORS INDICATED THAT PEROXIDE OR SULFUR, WHICH ARE BOTH PRESENT IN VARYING AMOUNTS IN GASOLINE, CAN REACT WITH THE COPPER COMMUTATOR OF THE PUMP MOTOR AND CORRODE/ROUGHEN THE SURFACE. A ROUGH COMMUTATOR SURFACE INCREASES THE RATE OF BRUSH WEAR. THE INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE CAUSED BY DEGRADATION OF THE BRUSH-COMMUTATOR INTERFACE INHIBITS CURRENT FLOW THROUGH THE MOTOR WINDINGS. ACCORDING TO GM, THE CONDITION WILL USUALLY RESULT IN A NO-START CONDITION BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CURRENT REQUIRED DURING START-UP. WHEN THE ALLEGED DEFECT DOES CAUSE A STALL WHILE DRIVING INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE TYPICALLY CANNOT BE RESTARTED. GM'S ANALYSIS OF WARRANT CLAIMS SHOWED THAT NO START/HARD START WAS THE MOST COMMON CONDITION AND THE FREQUENCY OF CLAIMS ASSOCIATED WITH STALL WHILE DRIVING INCIDENTS WAS TOO LOW TO WARRANT FIELD ACTION. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-015) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA AND THE ANALYSES PROVIDED BY GM.
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 CHEVROLET Investigations
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
Fuel Line Leak
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.