Investigations
Engine compartment fire
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE15003 - closed, opened 2015-01-13 and involving the CHRYSLER CHRYSLER.
NHTSA investigation PE15003 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2015-01-13 and currently closed. The subject of record is CHRYSLER CHRYSLER, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for CHRYSLER. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2015-12-09 - 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 PE15003 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 October 15, 2015, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, US LLC, (FCA), submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA regarding an air-conditioning suction/discharge combo line routing condition that may result in engine c..." 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 CHRYSLER files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
On October 15, 2015, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, US LLC, (FCA), submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA regarding an air-conditioning suction/discharge combo line routing condition that may result in engine compartment fire in approximately 75,574 model year (MY) 2015 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines and built from October 1, 2014 through June 18, 2015 (NHTSA Recall 15V-676, FCA Recall R57). According to FCA's DIR, a misrouted A/C combo line can be pinched and cut or thermally degraded by the exhaust manifold heat shield, potentially resulting in loss of air conditioning, smoke and/or fire from ignition of leaked A/C refrigerant oil onto a hot exhaust manifold. The recalled vehicles will be inspected for misrouted A/C combo lines and those found to be misrouted will be replaced. FCA estimates that one percent of the recalled population may be affected by the A/C combo line routing defect. ODI’s analysis of warranty data provided by FCA in response to the information request letter for PE15-003 identified a spike in claims related to the A/C combo line leakage in vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines built after October 1, 2014. FCA implemented its final process corrective action for the hose routing concern on June 18, 2015. The 113,034 MY 2015 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with 3.2L engines have different A/C line routing configurations and are not affected by the A/C combo line routing defect. FCA provided a total of 220 warranty claims potentially related to the A/C combo line in vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines. Ninety-five percent of the claims (210) involved the 74,574 Jeep Cherokee 2.4L vehicles built during the recall period. Only 10 A/C combo line claims and no related fires were identified in the 28,250 Jeep Cherokee 2.4L vehicles that were built before or after the period with the hose routing concern. Analysis of engine compartment fires reported to ODI and FCA identified a total of 10 fires in MY 2015 Jeep Cherokee vehicl
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 CHRYSLER Investigations
Recall 23V-413 Post Remedy Failures
Intermittent Loss of Electric Power Steering
Recall 19V-293 Post Remedy Failures
Engine Stall With Intermittent Restart
Loss of motive power due to an internal wiring connector short.
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.