Jeep engineering analysis EA12005
Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this engineering analysis about the hoses, lines/piping, and fittings on 27 model years (1993–2007). Opened Jun 12, 2012, closed Nov 14, 2014 after 2.4 years. It led to safety recall 13V252000. became a recall
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedODI has completed an extensive analysis of rear crash fuel tank system integrity data for the subject Jeep Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and Liberty vehicles (SVs).As of June 2013, ODI knew of 56 post-collision fatal fires, 28 non-fatal fires, and 6 fuel leak incidents (totaling 90 incidents, 75 fatalities and 58 injuries) involving the SVs. Based on this analysis, ODI issued a Recall Request Letter (RRL) on June 3, 2013 requesting that Chrysler recall the Grand Cherokee and Liberty vehicles due to the rate of fatal, non-fatal fire, and fuel leak incidents when compared to peer vehicles (compact and medium SUVs) built during the same time period. In the RRL, ODI described how the location of the aft-mounted fuel tank made the SVs vulnerable to rear impact crash fuel tank failures. During the analysis, besides the high speed/high severity crashes present in both the SV and peer vehicles, ODI observed a significant number of low and moderate speed rear impact crash related fires and leaks, particularly in the Liberty. The data also demonstrated that SVs originally equipped with towing hitch receivers (trailer hitches) appeared to be under-represented in rear-impact related fuel tank failures. In the RRL, ODI requested that Chrysler provide its response by June 18, 2013, otherwise NHTSA might proceed to an Initial Decision that the SVs contain a safety-related defect. Chrysler responded to the RRL on June 4, 2013 and vigorously disputed the tentative findings of the RRL. Among other things, Chrysler argued that the SVs had an overall safety record superior to their peers, met or exceeded all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) and only experienced fires in severe high energy rear impacts. Nonetheless, while continuing to maintain that the SVs did not contain a safety-related defect, Chrysler proposed a recall (13V-252) of approximately 2.5M (1.6M currently registered) model year (MY) 1993 - 1998 Grand Cherokee (ZJ) and MY 2002-2007 Liberty (KJ) vehicles on June 18, 2013. The recall remedy submitted by Chrysler would employ a hitch receiver assembly consisting of a steel cross-member behind the fuel tank with forward-projecting arms bolted to the frame rails on either side of the fuel tank. For the MY 1999 - 2004 Grand Cherokee, Chrysler indicated it would conduct a customer satisfaction campaign and inspect vehicles equipped with aftermarket tow hitch receivers, and if necessary, replace any such hitch receivers whose conditionmay increase the risk of fuel system failure in rear crashes. Examination of the available data established that the MY 1999 - 2004 Grand Cherokee did not pose the same magnitude of safety risk as the MY 1993 - 1998 Grand Cherokee and MY 2002-2007 Liberty, particularly in low and moderate speed rear impacts. Because the agency has concluded that the vehicles do not present an unreasonable risk to safety, ODI is closing its investigation of the MY 1999 - 2004 Grand Cherokee. Although it was not within the scope of the Petition initiating this investigation or the Preliminary Evaluation preceding this EA, ODI also examined the performance of the MY 1993 - 2001 Cherokee as part of this investigation. NHTSA's assessment of the available data for the Cherokee did not establish an unreasonable risk in comparison to peer vehicles. ODI does not approve proposed defect remedies. While offering to install hitch receiver assemblies on the MY 1993-1998 Grand Cherokees and 2002-2007 Liberty, Chrysler did not, in ODI's view, provide enough evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed remedy in rear impacts. The Complete Summary for this Closing Resume (EA12-005) can be seen by
A Engineering Analysis is the deeper stage, usually upgraded from a Preliminary Evaluation: NHTSA tests, requests engineering documents and decides whether a safety defect exists. The summary is the agency’s own text from its investigation file, unedited; the opening and closing resumes with the full reasoning are on NHTSA’s site under this number.
What this means for an owner
Source: and what happens nextAn investigation is not a finding that a defect exists, and it puts no duty on anyone. NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation when complaints and other reports suggest a condition worth asking the manufacturer about; it upgrades to an Engineering Analysis when the answers warrant testing; it closes either when it recommends a recall, when the manufacturer recalls on its own, or when no defect trend is found. The agency’s own goals are about four months for a petition, eight for a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query and eighteen for an Engineering Analysis; many run longer.
This one became a recall. The campaign page carries the manufacturer’s filed defect, risk and remedy, the build window and every model year covered; whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 1993 Jeep Cherokee; 1994 Jeep Cherokee; 1995 Jeep Cherokee; 1996 Jeep Cherokee; 1997 Jeep Cherokee; 1998 Jeep Cherokee; 1999 Jeep Cherokee; 2000 Jeep Cherokee; 2001 Jeep Cherokee; 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 2002 Jeep Liberty; 2003 Jeep Liberty; 2004 Jeep Liberty; 2005 Jeep Liberty; 2006 Jeep Liberty; 2007 Jeep Liberty.
A vehicle page’s investigation list carries the same action; a name here is the scope NHTSA opened, not a list of affected VINs.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs EA12005 a recall?
No — it is the investigation that led to one. Recall 13V252000 is the campaign; its page carries the remedy.
Is EA12005 still open?
No. It closed on Nov 14, 2014 and led to recall 13V252000.
Which vehicles does EA12005 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 27 model years: 1993 Jeep Cherokee, 1994 Jeep Cherokee, 1995 Jeep Cherokee, 1996 Jeep Cherokee, 1997 Jeep Cherokee, 1998 Jeep Cherokee and more. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.