Investigations
FIRE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE09008 - closed, opened 2009-02-12 and involving the HONDA HONDA.
NHTSA investigation PE09008 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2009-02-12 and currently closed. The subject of record is HONDA HONDA, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for HONDA. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2009-06-16 - 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 PE09008 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 THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON THREE VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE (VOQ) REPORTS ALLEGING A FIRE OCCURRED IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE THREE VOQ REPORTS ALL..." 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 HONDA 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 THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON THREE VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE (VOQ) REPORTS ALLEGING A FIRE OCCURRED IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE THREE VOQ REPORTS ALLEGING A "BURNED," "MELTED," OR "SHORTED" HVAC FAN MOTOR WIRING HARNESS. HONDA REPORTS THAT DURING AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, 2006, IT CONDUCTED A STUDY REGARDING MELTING OF THE HVAC FAN MOTOR HARNESS CONNECTOR. HONDA CONCLUDED THAT THE DAMAGE TO THE HARNESS CONNECTOR COULD RESULT FROM CONTACT BY A PASSENGER'S FOOT OR HANDLING OF THE HVAC UNIT DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY. HONDA INSTITUTED CHANGES TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. ALL COMPLAINT VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED BEFORE HONDA IMPLEMENTED THESE CHANGES. ODI'S ANALYSIS OF THE DATA (BOTH ODI AND HONDA) SHOW THERE ARE SIX REPORTS (DUPLICATES REMOVED) ALLEGING A FIRE IN OR NEAR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. FOUR OF THOSE RESULTED FROM AN UNKNOWN CAUSE, ONE RESULTED FROM AN HVAC FAN MOTOR FAILURE, AND ONE IS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN ARSON. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE NINE REPORTS OF HVAC FAN MOTOR HARNESS FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN SMOKE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT BUT NO VEHICLE FIRE. THE REMAINING FIVE REPORTS RESULTED IN SMOKE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND INCLUDED FAILURES OF THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR, HVAC FAN MOTOR, AND A POWER TRANSISTOR. THIS INVESTIGATION DID NOT FIND THAT FAILURE OF THE HVAC FAN MOTOR CONNECTOR, WHICH CAN RESULT IN SMOKE, WOULD ALSO LEAD TO A FIRE. SIMILARILY NO DEFECT TREND WAS IEDNTIFIED FROM EXAMINATION OF THE SIX REPORTED FIRES. A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED. 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 HONDA Investigations
Inaccurate Rear Passenger Seat Belt Warning Status
Loss of Motive Power
Inadvertent Deployment of Side Air Bags
Engine failure
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
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.