Nissan preliminary evaluation PE14018
Pedal Operation Interference. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the pedals and linkages on 3 model years (2012–2014). Opened Jun 24, 2014, closed Apr 27, 2015 after 10 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedOn June 24, 2014, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-018 to investigate allegations that the tunnel carpet cover trim panel on model year (MY) 2012 through 2014 Nissan Versa, Versa Sedan and Versa Note vehicles has, in certain situations, interfered with the driver's ability to promptly release the accelerator pedal and transition to the brake pedal. This may result in delayed brake application or brief incidents of unwanted acceleration. At the opening of PE14-018, ODI had identified one complaint, VOQ 10597004, alleging that the driver's foot became caught by the subject trim panel to the extent that the driver decided that it was necessary to pull on their leg to get the foot free of the interference, almost causing a crash. The trim panel in question (Figure 1) is located next to the accelerator pedal and the lower corner is positioned such that it is near the right outer edge of the driver's shoe. The complainant supplied a photograph (Figure 2) showing how the edge of the panel wedged itself in the driver's shoe. An additional complainant, 10573057, alleged that when attempting to remove their foot from the accelerator pedal to apply the brake, their shoe was caught by the trim panel which delayed braking ability several times. During the investigation ODI received a VOQ, 10614957, that alleged that the driver's foot was interfered with by the trim panel, delaying the driver's ability to apply the brakes, resulting in a crash and minor injuries to the driver. In addition, during PE14-018, ODI has received VOQs alleging that the HVAC relay actuator/duct, (Figures 3 and 4) can also interfere with the driver's ability to react quickly to apply the brakes, which has been added to the scope of Engineering Analysis EA15-003. MY 2015 Versa Sedan and Note vehicles have been added to EA15-003 as they are believed to have the same panel design and actuator/duct placement as the subject vehicles. MY 2012 vehicles were found to be of a different design and not included in the scope of EA15-003. This Preliminary Evaluation PE14-018 is hereby closed and upgraded to Engineering Analysis EA15-003.
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 Nissan Versa; 2013 Nissan Versa; 2014 Nissan Versa.
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 PE14018 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 PE14018 still open?
No. It closed on Apr 27, 2015 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE14018 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 3 model years: 2012 Nissan Versa, 2013 Nissan Versa, 2014 Nissan Versa. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.