Nissan preliminary evaluation PE14012
Fuel level gauge system failure. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the fuel gauge system on 3 model years (2007–2009). Opened May 8, 2014, closed Jan 13, 2015 after 8 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedOn May 8, 2014, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE14-012 to investigate allegations of inaccurate fuel tank fill level while driving resulting in the vehicle running out of fuel in model year (MY) 2007 Nissan Quest vehicles. During this investigation, Nissan identified a condition in the subject vehicles that may result in the fuel gauge falsely indicating more than the actual amount of fuel remaining in the gas tank. According to Nissan, the combination meter voltage divider circuit for the sender unit may have one of two resistors open or lifted resulting in a fuel gauge malfunction and inaccurate fuel level reading. When this condition occurs, the fuel gauge in the combination meter will continue to track the actual amount of fuel in the gas tank down to approximately one quarter of a tank. However, the fuel gauge will not go any lower which may cause drivers to run out of fuel unexpectedly. Additionally, ODI analyzed complaint data provided by Nissan as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, ODI identified 136 unique complaints indicating an inaccurate fuel level reading while driving in the subject vehicles. Seventy (70) fuel gauge related stalls were identified, resulting in a complaint rate of 1.85 incidents per thousand vehicles after approximately 8 years in service. In addition, analysis of warranty and combination meter part sales data provided by Nissan indicate a claim rate of less than 1% for all part replacements involving fuel gauge malfunctions. During PE14-012, Nissan developed a remedy procedure and issued Service Campaign PC 335 on approximately 68,003 MY 2007 through 2009 Nissan Quest vehicles. Owners of the affected vehicles will receive preliminary notification by mail recommending owners to keep fuel level above ? tank at all times until repair parts become available. Once the remedy kits become available, Nissan plans to send another letter to affected customers to take their vehicle to a Nissan dealer who will install an external amplifier box with jumper harness in the combination meter to bypass the electric circuit and ensure accurate fuel level indication. The bulletin was sent to dealers on December 19th, 2014 and the owner letter mailing began on December 31st, 2014. See the investigative file for copies of Nissan's dealer communication and owner letter. Based on the relatively low rate of engine stall incidents for vehicles that have been in service for 8-9 years, 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 continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect and take further action in the future if warranted. The following VOQ numbers are associated with the issues discussed in this closing resume:10503555, 10505390, 10513356, 10525325, 10549839, 10551187, 10552937, 10559300, 10565794, 10567557, 10568302, 10574869, 10575303, 10588121, 10588843, 10594370, 10595029, 10597201, 10598275, 10608182, 10610671, 10615104, 10615697, 10617309, 10618457, 10621549, 10622551, 10627963, 10632742, 10633833, 10637512, 10638279, 10640959, 10641050, 10643726, 10643791, 10643933, 10644085, 10649107, 10649598, 10652109, 10660231, 10661351, 10662656, 10662666.
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: 2007 Nissan Quest; 2008 Nissan Quest; 2009 Nissan Quest.
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 PE14012 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 PE14012 still open?
No. It closed on Jan 13, 2015 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE14012 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 3 model years: 2007 Nissan Quest, 2008 Nissan Quest, 2009 Nissan Quest. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.