Volvo preliminary evaluation PE10025
Central Electronic Module Failure. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the electrical system on 2 model years (2004–2005). Opened Jul 20, 2010, closed Nov 22, 2010 after 4 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedVolvo acknowledged a problem affecting some subject vehicles involving water seepage into the plenum box area in the engine compartment. When this occurs water may enter into the interior / passenger compartment and track along the wiring harness for the Central Electronic Module (CEM), the device that controls many of the vehicle's electrical functions including wiper operation, lighting, and transmission operation. If the water reaches the CEM connector electrical faults may result. In response to such faults the CEM, a microprocessor controlled device, will attempt to reset by temporarily shutting down (for 100 milliseconds, or 0.1 seconds) and restarting; this effects various CEM functions including the instrument panel (IP) display, gauges, wipers and also the transmission gear (if it is in the overdrive range).During the reset owners may experience temporarily loss of the IP displays and an abnormal 'jerking' in the transmission/drivetrain. If the problem persist for 6 consecutive restart attempts, the CEM will enter a 'Limp Home' mode that disables non-essential electrical functions yet maintain safety critical functions such as low-beam headlights, low-speed wiper operation, brake lights, and non-overdrive transmission operation. Warning and error messages will also be illuminated in the IP display. Consumers reported experiencing conditions consistent with CEM resetting and the limp mode operation in their reports to both ODI and Volvo. No reports or allegations of crash or injury associated with possible CEM failures have been reported by Volvo or otherwise identified by ODI. Volvo revised the design of the wiring grommet (sealing device) and the plenum cover starting in May 2005 and October 2005 production dates respectively, the occurrence of the condition effectively ended after these changes. A technical service bulletin (TNN 37-35) has been published to diagnose and repair earlier production vehicles using the improved wiring grommet and/or new plenum cover. A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
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: 2004 Volvo XC90; 2005 Volvo XC90.
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 PE10025 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 PE10025 still open?
No. It closed on Nov 22, 2010 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE10025 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 2 model years: 2004 Volvo XC90, 2005 Volvo XC90. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.