Mitsubishi Fuso preliminary evaluation PE15009
Extended Stopping Distance. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the caliper on 6 model years (2012–2013). Opened Mar 23, 2015, closed Sep 9, 2015 after 6 months. It led to safety recall 15V504000. became a recall
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedOn March 23rd 2015 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) PE15-009 based on Early Warning Report (EWR) data received from Mitsubishi describing brake failures on model year (MY) 2012 -2013 Mitsubishi FUSO FEC 52, FEC72 and FEC92 trucks. Following the receipt of recall 15V-504 that addresses the concerns raised in this investigation, ODI is closing this PE. In November 2013, Mitsubishi released a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB 13-004) where they describe replacing original equipment (OE) brake pad shims with stainless steel shims due to corrosion. This service bulletin was referenced as the remedy in many of the EWR/field reports received by ODI that described extended stopping distances. On July 9th Mitsubishi responded to ODI's Information Request (IR) letter and identified 9 field reports, 26 warranty claims and 1 consumer complaint that resulted in a crash and injuring two consumers. An ODI investigator conducted interviews and analyzed field reports that supported concerns of drivers alleging a spongy brake pedal and difficulty stopping the vehicle while driving. Some reports describe the brake pedal going to the floor when depressed. Mitsubishi indicated that on certain affected vehicles, the original equipped brake pad shims are comprised of a material that rusts/corrodes when subjected to snow/ice melting chemicals applied to roadways. Normal operation in this condition may cause the shims to swell, resulting in increased brake pedal stroke that could result in increased stopping distances, causing a crash without warning. In their IR response, Mitsubishi states that even with the increased pedal stroke, the brake performance still meets safety standards and so the corroding brake shims are not a safety issue. As a result of ODI analysis and further discussions with the manufacturer outlining the risk to safety extended stopping distance represents, Mistsubishi decided to conduct a safety recall. ODI is closing this PE with Mitsubishi's voluntary safety recall 15V-504. Mitsubishi expanded the scope to of the recall beyond the scope of this investigation to include MY 2014 FUSO FEC 52, FEC72 and FEC92 trucks. With the recall action taken by Mitsubishi, this investigation is closed as further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or MY vehicles outside of the recall scope. The agency 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 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 themAlso named: 2012 Mitsubishi Fuso FEC52; 2013 Mitsubishi Fuso FEC52; 2012 Mitsubishi Fuso FEC72; 2013 Mitsubishi Fuso FEC72; 2012 Mitsubishi Fuso FEC92; 2013 Mitsubishi Fuso FEC92.
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 PE15009 a recall?
No — it is the investigation that led to one. Recall 15V504000 is the campaign; its page carries the remedy.
Is PE15009 still open?
No. It closed on Sep 9, 2015 and led to recall 15V504000.
Which vehicles does PE15009 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 6 model years: 2012 Mitsubishi Fuso FEC52, 2013 Mitsubishi Fuso FEC52, 2012 Mitsubishi Fuso FEC72, 2013 Mitsubishi Fuso FEC72, 2012 Mitsubishi Fuso FEC92, 2013 Mitsubishi Fuso FEC92. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.