Investigations
SUDDEN FUEL EXPULSION
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE10004 - closed, opened 2010-01-25.
NHTSA investigation PE10004 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2010-01-25 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2010-05-10 - 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 PE10004 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: "We opened this PE based on a single complaint of rapid fuel expulsion while re-fueling from the owner of a Buell 1125CR. After opening this PE, we contacted other owners, Buell dealer service departments and monitored ac..." 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
We opened this PE based on a single complaint of rapid fuel expulsion while re-fueling from the owner of a Buell 1125CR. After opening this PE, we contacted other owners, Buell dealer service departments and monitored activity of various Buell-related web forums. While Harley Davidson (Buell was a subsidiary) has no owner complaints, it did receive four warranty claims related to this issue. Two involve the fuel line check valve, one a pinched fuel vent hose, and one saturated charcoal cannister due to over-fill. Currently, the data does not indicate a trending safety defect exists. We will continue to monitor this issue and take action as appropriate.
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.