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NHTSA defect investigation · Preliminary Evaluation

International preliminary evaluation PE12008

Engine compartment fires. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the parking brake on 4 model years (2007–2010). Opened Mar 22, 2012, closed Oct 11, 2012 after 7 months. It led to safety recall 12V479000. became a recall

What NHTSA says

Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filed

ODI became aware of three bus fires that originated in the area of the transmission on the subject vehicles through media reports. Inspection of the vehicles indicated that the static parking brake, which is located behind the transmission, may have been applied as a result of an air leak while the vehicles were in motion. Under certain driving conditions, the parking brake can apply without the audible driver warning engaging. Parking brake application while the vehicle is in motion may result in a fire. To address the concerns of this investigation, Navistar has issued a recall (12V-479) that will add a switch to detect parking brake lever movement while the vehicle is in motion (in addition to the existing switch that monitors brake line air pressure) and set an additional warning light to warn the driver of application of the parking brake. Navistar's recall actions address the issues raised by this investigation and as a result this investigation is closed.

Stage Preliminary Evaluation — NHTSA works to complete one within eight months Opened Mar 22, 2012 Closed Oct 11, 2012 Manufacturer Navistar, Inc. Components Parking Brake Resulting recall 12V479000

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 next

An 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 them

Also named: 2007 International 3200; 2008 International 3200; 2009 International 3200; 2010 International 3200.

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 Investigation

Is PE12008 a recall?

No — it is the investigation that led to one. Recall 12V479000 is the campaign; its page carries the remedy.

Is PE12008 still open?

No. It closed on Oct 11, 2012 and led to recall 12V479000.

Which vehicles does PE12008 cover?

NHTSA opened it on 4 model years: 2007 International 3200, 2008 International 3200, 2009 International 3200, 2010 International 3200. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.