Investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE97045 - closed, opened 1997-10-23 and involving the VOLVO VOLVO.
NHTSA investigation PE97045 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 1997-10-23 and currently closed. The subject of record is VOLVO VOLVO, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for VOLVO. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1998-02-13 - 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 PE97045 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: "ODI HAS RECEIVED FOUR OWNER COMPLAINTS OF VOLVO 850 ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES, ALL INVOLVING 1996 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. TABLE 1 SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE INCIDENTS KNOWN TO ODI AND VOLVO BY MODEL YEAR AND INCIDENT YEA..." 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 VOLVO files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
ODI HAS RECEIVED FOUR OWNER COMPLAINTS OF VOLVO 850 ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES, ALL INVOLVING 1996 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. TABLE 1 SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE INCIDENTS KNOWN TO ODI AND VOLVO BY MODEL YEAR AND INCIDENT YEAR FOR ALL 1993-97 VOLVO 850 VEHICLES. VOLVO HAS CLASSIFIED MOST OF THE FIRES AS OCCURRING FROM UNDETERMINED CAUSES. IN THOSE FEW CASES WHERE PROBABLE OR POSSIBLE CAUSES WERE IDENTIFIED, NO COMMON DEFECT PATTERN OR TREND HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED, BUT ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE ISSUE THROUGH 11998 WITH QUARTERLY REPORTS FROM VOLVO.
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 VOLVO Investigations
Discrepancies in Required CFR Reporting
Ride Quality
Windshield Wiper Failures
Volvo Sleeper glass de-bonding
Central Electronic Module Failure
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.