Investigations
TRANSMISSION FLUID HOSE CHAFE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE09022 - closed, opened 2009-05-04.
NHTSA investigation PE09022 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2009-05-04 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2009-07-09 - 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 PE09022 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: "ON MAY 4, 2009, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATIONS (ODI) OPENED PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE09-022 TO INVESTIGATE AN OWNER COMPLAINT (ODI NO. 10260517) ALLEGING CONTACT BETWEEN THE ATF COOLING LINE AND THE RADIATOR FAN BL..." 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
ON MAY 4, 2009, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATIONS (ODI) OPENED PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE09-022 TO INVESTIGATE AN OWNER COMPLAINT (ODI NO. 10260517) ALLEGING CONTACT BETWEEN THE ATF COOLING LINE AND THE RADIATOR FAN BLADES. THE COMPLAINT INDICATED THAT THE CONTACT RESULTED IN RAPID ATF FLUID LOSS WHICH RENDERED THE VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WITHIN THE FIRST 50 MILES OF SERVICE. IN ITS RESPONSE TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER FOR PE09-062, VW INDICATED THAT THE INSTALLATION AND DESIGN OF THE ATF COOLING LINES ARE THE SAME FOR BOTH THE REGULAR PASSAT AND PASSAT CC MODELS. VW HAS NOT CHANGED THE DESIGN OR INSTALLATION OF EITHER THE LINES OR RADIATOR FAN SINCE SUBJECT VEHICLE SALES BEGAN. VOLKSWAGEN FURTHER STATED THAT IT IS NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER INCIDENTS OF ATF LINE CONTACT WITH THE RADIATOR FAN IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES OR ANY SIMILARLY EQUIPPED VEHICLES. VW BELIEVES THAT THE ONE INCIDENT IS AN ISOLATED CASE OF IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LINES. ODI INSPECTIONS OF SEVERAL MY 2009 PASSAT VEHICLES DID NOT IDENTIFY ANY CONCERNS WITH ATF COOLER LINE ROUTING THAT COULD RESULT IN CONTACT WITH THE RADIATOR FAN BLADES. CONSIDERING THE VERY SHORT TIME IN SERVICE OF THE INCIDENT VEHICLE, IT IS LIKELY ANY SUBJECT VEHICLES WITH SIMILARLY MIS-POSITIONED ATF LINES WOULD HAVE ALREADY FAILED AND BEEN REPAIRED. THE ABSENCE OF ADDITIONAL INCIDENTS SUPPORTS VW'S ASSESSMENT THAT THE SINGLE KNOWN FAILURE WAS A RANDOM AND ISOLATED EVENT. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN CLOSED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST. THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED.
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.