Investigations
PASSENGER DOOR FIRE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE08014 — closed, opened 2008-03-04 and involving the MITSUBISHI MITSUBISHI.
NHTSA investigation PE08014 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2008-03-04 and currently closed. The subject of record is MITSUBISHI MITSUBISHI, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for MITSUBISHI. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2008-07-01 — 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 PE08014 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: "COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT A FIRE ERUPTED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. IN MITSUBISHI'S RESPONSE TO ODI'S MARCH 12, 2008 INFORMATION REQUEST, MITSUBISHI ASSERTS THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT MAY OCCUR WHEN "LARGE AMOUNTS OF LIQUIDS..." 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 MITSUBISHI files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT A FIRE ERUPTED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. IN MITSUBISHI'S RESPONSE TO ODI'S MARCH 12, 2008 INFORMATION REQUEST, MITSUBISHI ASSERTS THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT MAY OCCUR WHEN "LARGE AMOUNTS OF LIQUIDS, MORE THAN 100CC (3.4 OZ), LIKE A SOFT DRINK WERE SPILLED DIRECTLY OVER THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH AREA, ALL AT ONCE AND AT ONE TIME." MITSUBISHI FOUND THAT "AS THE LIQUID DRIES OFF, ELECTROLYTES AND CARBONIZED PARTICLES ACCUMULATE BETWEEN THE TERMINALS" IN THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH AND "BECOME A CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL." AS A RESULT, "THE SWITCH MAY START TO HEAT UP AND MELT OR IGNITE THE PLASTIC COMPONENTS." HOWEVER, MITSUBISHI ALSO ASSERTS THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT IS "VERY RARE" AND THAT "BURNING DAMAGE WILL NOT OCCUR UNLESS LIQUIDS ENTER INTO THE" POWER WINDOW SWITCH. ODI UPGRADED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS, EA08-011, TO FURTHER EVALUATE THIS ISSUE.
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 MITSUBISHI Investigations
Brake Vacuum Pump Failure
Extended Stopping Distance
Clutch Interlock Switch Malfunction
GASOLINE LEAKS
PASSENGER DOOR FIRE
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.