Investigations
BRAKE LINE RUPTURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE08002 - closed, opened 2008-01-10.
NHTSA investigation PE08002 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2008-01-10 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2008-04-28 - 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 PE08002 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: "MERCEDES-BENZ'S RESPONSE TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER FOR PE08-002 INDICATED THAT THE SUBJECT FUEL/BRAKE LINE BUNDLE (PART NO. A1634201526) WAS USED WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FROM MODEL YEAR 1998 THROUGH 2002 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.
Investigation Summary
MERCEDES-BENZ'S RESPONSE TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER FOR PE08-002 INDICATED THAT THE SUBJECT FUEL/BRAKE LINE BUNDLE (PART NO. A1634201526) WAS USED WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FROM MODEL YEAR 1998 THROUGH 2002 ON ALL M-CLASS LIGHT TRUCK VEHICLES. MERCEDES FURTHER INDICATED THAT IN 2002 A PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED IN PRODUCTION THAT COULD CAUSE UNWANTED CONTACT BETWEEN THE FUEL AND BRAKE LINES. IN MAY 2002, A PRODUCTION ACTION WAS AUTHORIZED AS A RESULT OF POST-PRODUCTION INSPECTIONS OF VEHICLES EXHIBITING CONTACT BETWEEN THE FUEL AND BRAKE LINES. THE ACTION AUTHORIZED THE USE OF ADDITIONAL PLASTIC SPACER CLIPS TO ELIMINATE SUCH CONTACT. MERCEDES HAS INDICATED THAT CONTACT BETWEEN THE LINES IS MORE LIKELY IN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V-8 ENGINES DUE TO LESS FREE SPACE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ODI HAS RECEIVED ONE COMPLAINT FROM THE OWNER OF A MY2001 ML430 THAT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH BECAUSE OF SUDDEN LOSE OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS. INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE AFTER THE CRASH SHOWED THAT THE LOSS OF BRAKING WAS THE DIRECT RESULT OF CHAFFING OF THE FUEL LINE ON THE BRAKE LINE THAT CAUSED THE SUDDEN LOSE OF BRAKE LINE PRESSURE WHEN COMING TO A NORMAL TRAFFIC STOP. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA08-009) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RUPTURE OF THE FUEL LINE/BRAKE LINE BECAUSE OF CHAFFING IN ALL MERCEDES M-CLASS VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V-8 ENGINES.
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.