Investigations
TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE09033 - closed, opened 2009-07-15.
NHTSA investigation PE09033 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2009-07-15 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2009-11-17 - 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 PE09033 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 RECEIVED 227 OWNER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER DUE TO AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. OF THOSE COMPLAINTS, 124 CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE TORQUE CONVER..." 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
ODI HAS RECEIVED 227 OWNER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER DUE TO AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. OF THOSE COMPLAINTS, 124 CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT SPLINES STRIPPING CAUSING A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER TO THE DRIVETRAIN. THE REMAINING 103 COMPLAINTS EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER BUT THE SPECIFIC INTERNAL FAILURE CAUSE WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT KNOWN. ODI HAS UPGRADED THE INVESTIGATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA09-016) TO CONTINUE ITS ASSESSMENT OF THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT.
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.