Jeep preliminary evaluation PE12020
Power steering hose failure. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the steering on 1 model year (2012). Opened Jul 19, 2012, closed Dec 7, 2012 after 5 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedThe Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) analyzed complaint data provided by Chrysler as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. ODI's analysis identified a total of 24 unique reports indicating power steering hose blow-offs resulting from a dislodged power steering cooler turbulator fin in some early production vehicles. According to Chrysler, a dislodged fin can occur when the turbulator is inserted into the power steering cooler or loaded into the assembly machine. A dislodged fin may block the flow of power steering fluid creating excess back-pressure in the power steering system leading to the possibility of a return hose blow-off. Chrysler and its power steering cooler supplier, Dana, modified the cooler assembly process to address factors that may contribute to hose blow-offs. The redesigned turbulator assembly stations were completely implemented in production by April 2012. During PE12-020, Chrysler identified occurrences where the power steering return hose may blow-off at the power steering cooler. This is a condition that typically occurs early in the life of the vehicle with 65% occurring at less than 2,000 miles and 96% occurring with less than 8,000 miles. The data also shows that 88% of the conditions occurred with less than 4 months in service. Over 50% of the blow-off complaints occurred on vehicles with build dates between November 22, 2011 and December 23, 2011. None of the conditions occurred with more than 12,000 miles or 7 months in service. Chrysler?s complaint analysis indicates up-to 14 additional vehicles may experience the hose blow off condition. None of the 24 unique reports with the hose blow-off condition alleged smoke or fire in the engine compartment. In the event of a blow-off, it is highly unlikely for power steering fluid to reach any of the ignition sources in the engine compartment and result in an engine fire. Complaint analysis identified five reports alleging engine compartment fires that resulted from other or unknown causes, including one attributed to an overheated transmission fluid. Two fires of unknown cause cited in the opening resume for PE12-020 involved vehicles equipped with V8 SRT 6.4L engines which are not equipped with the steering system affected by the turbulator fin concern. ODI will continue to monitor field experience in Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with that engine. There have been no reports of loss of steering control, crashes or injuries as result of this condition. Additionally, all affected vehicles that may have experienced a hose blow-off condition were repaired under Chrysler?s 3 year/36,000 mile manufacturer?s warranty at no cost to the owner and supplier?s process improvements put in place have eliminated the likelihood of power steering hose blow offs. There is no indication of loss of motive power or unreasonable safety risk associated with the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. This preliminary evaluation is closed. The ODI reports cited above can be viewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers (ODI Nos.): 10465379, 10461736, 10459178.
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: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
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 PE12020 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 PE12020 still open?
No. It closed on Dec 7, 2012 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE12020 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 1 model year: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.