Investigations
Loss of Instrument Cluster Functions
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE14035 - closed, opened 2014-11-21.
NHTSA investigation PE14035 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2014-11-21 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2015-05-22 - 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 PE14035 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 November 21st 2014 the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE14-035 on Wheeled Coach model year 2012 Business Class M2 ambulances. According to EWR reports the transmission control pad..." 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 November 21st 2014 the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE14-035 on Wheeled Coach model year 2012 Business Class M2 ambulances. According to EWR reports the transmission control pad would fail, emergency lights would flash randomly on the cab/chassis, complete loss of the instrument cluster, and windshield wipers turning on without the ability to turn them off. Without cab or instrument lighting, the EMS responders are unable to complete their mission and service patients. On January 13th 2015 the manufacture supplied two exemplar subject vehicles for inspection. During this inspection Wheeled Coach representatives identified a remedy implemented on one of the defective vehicles. This remedy involved the installation of dedicated power and ground source wires to the computer controlling dash functions, lighting, and the transmission function pad. After this repair was completed the problem was shown to be resolved. With Wheeled Coach's safety recall 15V-120 implementing the remedy displayed during the field inspection, this investigation is closed.
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.