Investigations
Transmission cooler hose separation
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE13029 - closed, opened 2013-08-29 and involving the NISSAN NISSAN.
NHTSA investigation PE13029 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2013-08-29 and currently closed. The subject of record is NISSAN NISSAN, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for NISSAN. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2014-03-31 - 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 PE13029 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 March 25, 2014, Nissan North America (Nissan) submitted a Defect Information Report to NHTSA describing a defect of inadequate hose clamping force that may result in the internal transmission oil cooler (ITOC) hose de..." 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 NISSAN files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
On March 25, 2014, Nissan North America (Nissan) submitted a Defect Information Report to NHTSA describing a defect of inadequate hose clamping force that may result in the internal transmission oil cooler (ITOC) hose detaching from the cooler. According to Nissan, transmission fluid leakage from a detached ITOC hose results in a progressive series of symptoms beginning with malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) illumination, followed by noise and vibration and culminating in loss of power due to transmission failure. Many of the incident vehicle drivers interviewed by ODI indicated that the loss of power occurred soon after the first symptoms were observed. The recall covers approximately 3,065 Pathfinder vehicles built from the start of MY 2013 production on April 18, 2012, through October 3, 2012, when Nissan implemented several production improvements to address concerns with ITOC hose detachment. Infiniti JX vehicles investigated in PE13-029 are not included in the recall as they are equipped with a different CVT transmission with a lower operating pressure. Owners of all potentially affected vehicles will be notified within 60 days to take their vehicles to a Nissan dealer. The dealer will install an oil hose repair kit at no charge to owners. ODI's analysis of failure data for the 3,065 Pathfinder vehicles that are included in Nissan's recall identified 12 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs), 134 Nissan complaints and field reports and 259 warranty claims. This equates to a complaint/field report rate of 47.6 incidents per thousand vehicles (IPTV) and a warranty claim rate of 8.5 percent. The failure rates for the 120,474 subject vehicles that are not included in the recall are much lower, with complaint rates of 0.4 and 0.8 IPTV and warranty claim rates of 0.1 and 0.2 percent for the remaining MY 2013 Pathfinder and JX vehicles, respectively. This investigation is closed. The VOQ numbers associated with this closing are: 10558389, 10556011, 10546402, 10545032, ,
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 NISSAN Investigations
Driver Airbag Inflator Rupture
Inner Tie Rod Failures
Side curtain air bags may deploy inadvertently
Reduced Power After Engine Stall
Loss of motive power due to broken crankshaft with no ability to restart.
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.