Chrysler and Dodge preliminary evaluation PE10022
Loss of Headlight Illumination. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the electrical system on 4 model years (2005). Opened Jul 12, 2010, closed Sep 13, 2011 after 14 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedTo date, ODI has interviewed several complainants who confirmed that the headlights fully extinguish, and remain extinguished, on an intermittent basis. In most cases this occurred while the vehicle was in motion. The occurrences do not show a repeatable pattern, and the problem occurs at a low frequency, typically one or more weeks between failures. For this reason most complainants have not attempted diagnosis or repair of the problem, so the cause is unknown, and the problem continues to occur. In the cases where repairs have been attempted, which consisted mainly of headlight switch and body control module replacements, mixed success is reported. In interviews complainants advised ODI that they can usually toggle the headlight switch, or turn on the high beams by actuating the column stalk (pulling it upward), when the headlights unexpectedly turn off. Complainants report that toggling the switch is usually effective, and the high beams have always been available when the column is used. During the course of the interviews ODI was able to obtain a few suspect headlamp switches for further evaluation. No verifiable crashes or injuries have been identified in the vehicle owner complaints (VOQs).Chrysler notes that its complaints also include allegations of dimming or flickering of the headlights in addition to loss of headlamps, and that their analysis of available data indicates a declining trend occurring in the field. Chrysler data reports two alleged crash incidents; one where a consumers vehicle lost forward lighting and struck a deer, and one where a consumer alleged their lighting stopped working, causing them to depart the roadway and drive into a ditch. A minor injury is alleged in this second incident. Both incidents occurred several years ago, and neither allegation has been confirmed by ODI. ODI is upgrading this investigation to an Engineering Analysis (EA11-010) to continue its analysis of the alleged defect and its consequences, which will include additional analysis of consumer reports, their frequency and trend, and Chrysler's technical information for the headlight system and its components. Additionally testing will be conducted to evaluate possible root cause(s) of the alleged defect, and will include analysis of suspect components collected from the field, and/or assessment of subject vehicles that have reportedly experienced the condition.
A Preliminary Evaluation is the first formal stage: NHTSA has decided the complaints and other information it screened are worth a closer look, and asks the manufacturer for its own data on the condition. 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 closed without a recall. That means NHTSA found no defect trend it chose to act on at the time, or the manufacturer addressed the condition another way (a service campaign or a bulletin, which have their own pages). A closed file can be reopened if new reports arrive.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2005 Chrysler Town AND Country; 2005 Chrysler Voyager; 2005 Dodge Caravan; 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan.
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 PE10022 a recall?
No. A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA asking questions, not a recall. A safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number and a duty to repair for free; this one closed without one. Whether one particular vehicle has an open recall is a VIN question at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is PE10022 still open?
No. It closed on Sep 13, 2011 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE10022 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 4 model years: 2005 Chrysler Town AND Country, 2005 Chrysler Voyager, 2005 Dodge Caravan, 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.