Investigations
FUEL PUMP FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE07036 — closed, opened 2007-07-17 and involving the LAND ROVER FREELANDER.
NHTSA investigation PE07036 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2007-07-17 and currently closed. The subject of record is LAND ROVER FREELANDER, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for LAND ROVER. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2007-12-10 — 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 PE07036 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 DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE07-036 ON JULY 17, 2007, BASED ON THREE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ENGINE STALL WHILE DRIVING DUE TO FUEL PUMP FAILURE IN MO..." 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 LAND ROVER 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 DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE07-036 ON JULY 17, 2007, BASED ON THREE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ENGINE STALL WHILE DRIVING DUE TO FUEL PUMP FAILURE IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003 LAND ROVER FREELANDER VEHICLES. IN EACH INCIDENT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED AND HAD TO BE TOWED FOR REPAIRS. IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER, FORD PROVIDED OWNER COMPLAINT INFORMATION, FIELD REPORTS AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA FOR APPROXIMATELY 9,985 SUBJECT VEHICLES SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES. THE BASE WARRANTY FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS 48 MONTHS OR 50,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. FORD CATEGORIZED THE DATA BY ENGINE STALLS THAT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE STALLS WITH AN UNKNOWN DRIVING CONDITION, NO START CONDITIONS AND OTHER DRIVEABILITY CONDITIONS. ODI'S ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED A 6.7% FUEL PUMP WARRANTY CLAIM RATE FOR ALL CONDITIONS AFTER APPROXIMATELY 4 TO 5 YEARS OF SERVICE, INCLUDING 1.4% CATEGORIZED AS A STALL WHILE DRIVING EVENT AND 2.1% CATEGORIZED AS A STALL WITH AN UNKNOWN DRIVING CONDITION. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-018) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE FREQUENCY AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT.
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 LAND ROVER Investigations
Rear Seat Belt Stitching Failure and Detachment
2014-2017 Land Rover Range Rover Sport (L494) front steering knuckle fractures
High Voltage Coolant Heaters may fail to defrost windshield
Loss of Brake Power Assist
Spoiler Cover Detachment
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. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.