Investigations
GASOLINE LEAKS
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE09056 — closed, opened 2009-12-30 and involving the MITSUBISHI MITSUBISHI.
NHTSA investigation PE09056 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2009-12-30 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 2010-03-12 — 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 PE09056 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: "THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED ON DECEMBER 30, 2009, BASED ON FIVE CONSUMER REPORTS ALLEGING GASOLINE FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL FILL PIPE. SOME OF THE COMPLAINANTS INDICATED THE FUEL FILL PIPE HAD CORRODED TO THE POINT O..." 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
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED ON DECEMBER 30, 2009, BASED ON FIVE CONSUMER REPORTS ALLEGING GASOLINE FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL FILL PIPE. SOME OF THE COMPLAINANTS INDICATED THE FUEL FILL PIPE HAD CORRODED TO THE POINT OF BEING PERFORATED, ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE PIPE. BY LETTER OF FEBRUARY, 24, 2010, AND AMENDED MARCH 10, 2010, MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA (MITSUBISHI) NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF APPROXIMATELY 26,135 SUBJECT VEHICLES. THE RECALLED VEHICLES WERE SOLD OR ARE CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING "SALT BELT" STATES : CT, DE, IL, IN, IA, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, VA, WV, WI, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. MITSUBISHI WILL ALSO INCLUDE IN THE RECALL THE FOLLOWING "COLD CLIMATE" STATES: ND, SD, NB, KS, OK, CO, WY, MT, ID, WA, OR, AND UT. MITIUBISHI STATES THAT A MIXTURE OF MUD AND ROAD SALT CAN BECOME TRAPPED BETWEEN A REINFORCING BRACKET AND THE FILL PIPE AND LEAD TO CORROSION OF THE FILL PIPE, RESULTING IN LEAKS DURING REFUELING. FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES NOT IN SALT BELT OR COLD STATES (APPROXIMATELY 28,077), MITSUBISHI WILL EXTEND THE WARRANTY OF THE FUEL FILL PIPE TO 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.
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
PASSENGER DOOR FIRE
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.