Investigations
TURN SIGNAL MALFUNCTION
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE08059 - closed, opened 2008-10-07 and involving the CHRYSLER CHRYSLER.
NHTSA investigation PE08059 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2008-10-07 and currently closed. The subject of record is CHRYSLER CHRYSLER, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for CHRYSLER. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2009-04-17 - 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 PE08059 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: "ODI HAS CLOSED THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON A REVIEW OF THE COMPLAINTS, OTHER FIELD DATA AND TECHNICAL DATA SUBMITTED BY CHRYSLER TO THE AGENCY. CHRYSLER REPORTS THAT THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH IS HARD WIRED INTO THE INSTRU..." 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 CHRYSLER files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
ODI HAS CLOSED THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON A REVIEW OF THE COMPLAINTS, OTHER FIELD DATA AND TECHNICAL DATA SUBMITTED BY CHRYSLER TO THE AGENCY. CHRYSLER REPORTS THAT THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH IS HARD WIRED INTO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (IC) AND THE CLUSTER DECIDES WHICH DIRECTION HAS BEEN SELECTED BASED ON AN ELECTRICAL SIGNAL FROM THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH. THE IC SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE VEHICLE'S TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE (TIPM) AND THE TIPM RESPONDS BY CONTROLLING THE VOLTAGE AND FLASH RATE OF THE EXTERIOR TURN SIGNAL LAMPS AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATOR. CHRYSLER'S TESTING FOUND THAT IMPROPER LEVELS OF RESISTANCE WITHIN THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH MAY RESULT IN THE IC SELECTING THE WRONG DIRECTION. COMPLAINANTS SAY THAT WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS USED, THE VEHICLE MAY SIGNAL THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS OFTEN INTERMITTENT. THIS WOULD BE EVIDENT FROM THE TURN INDICATOR LAMPS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AS WELL AS THE EXTERIOR TURN SIGNAL LAMPS. EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT SIGNALS MAY BE AFFECTED. DEALERS ARE CORRECTING THIS BY REPLACING MULTIFUNCTION SWITCHES ON THE STEERING COLUMN. NEITHER ODI NOR CHRYSLER HAS RECEIVED ANY REPORT OF A CRASH RELATED TO THE SUBJECT CONDITION. CHRYSLER WILL IMPLEMENT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION. NOTIFICATION TO VEHICLE OWNERS IS TO BEGIN IN MAY 2009. THIS ACTION IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT TAKEN IN OTHER INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING TURN SIGNAL FAILURES AT SIMILAR RATES. FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED AT THIS TIME. ACCORDINGLY THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST. THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
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 CHRYSLER Investigations
Recall 23V-413 Post Remedy Failures
Intermittent Loss of Electric Power Steering
Recall 19V-293 Post Remedy Failures
Engine Stall With Intermittent Restart
Loss of motive power due to an internal wiring connector short.
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.