Suzuki preliminary evaluation PE17001
Motorcycle Stalling. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the ignition on 2 model years (2014–2015). Opened Mar 7, 2017, closed Nov 13, 2017 after 8 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedOn March 3rd 2017 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE17-001) to investigate allegations of stalling when accelerating from a stop on 2014-2015 DL1000 Suzuki motorcycles. ODI contacted 4 of the 5 consumers who had filed complaints with the office and learned they all could engage the clutch as the stalling condition presented itself and keep the bike in an upright, stable position. On May 17th 2017 Suzuki responded to ODI's Information Request letter and informed ODI of 21 consumer complaints and 28 warranty claims alleging stalling while accelerating from a stop on 2014 and 2015 subject vehicles. Additionally, Suzuki made ODI aware of three crashes where the consumer alleged they dropped the bike as a result of the stall (no injuries were reported).ODI contacted the complainants, including the consumers alleging a crash and noted the majority alleged a misfire or a loss in power at cruising speeds or going around a turn. These allegations were not consistent with the alleged defect of this investigation. Furthermore, ODI learned from 2 of the 3 complainants alleging a crash (dropped bike) that they had installed after market equipment on the motorcycle altering its performance and/or fueling strategy. On July 27th, 2017 Suzuki and ODI participated in a joint ride-evaluation of the subject motorcycles. Suzuki supplied ODI with a 2014 and 2015 D1000 motorcycle with original factory settings. ODI solicited assistance from the Virginia State Police (VSP) Division 7 Motor Squad to evaluate and ride the subject motorcycles at the Dulles Airport training grounds. VSP supplied ODI with 4 professional and experienced motorcycle riders. At the Dulles location, ODI created a repeatable test program that would best elicit the alleged defect. The test was a series of accelerating patterns through first gear into second at different distances. After a total of 5 hours of riding the VSP riders were unable to induce or duplicate the stalling condition (alleged defect).On August 9th 2017 Suzuki met with ODI to discuss the investigation, the merits of the complainants, and give a presentation concerning the chronology of design changes associated with the subject vehicles. As a result of the July 27th ride evaluation, the August 9th joint meeting, and investigative interviews, ODI has concluded the alleged defect of this investigation does not present an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety at this time. In addition, Suzuki has agreed to provide its customers with an updated engine control module (ECM) via a service campaign TLSVDL 066 (ODI 10119582) incorporating the latest engine software. ODI is closing this PE 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 exist. 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 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: 2014 Suzuki DL1000; 2015 Suzuki DL1000.
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 PE17001 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 PE17001 still open?
No. It closed on Nov 13, 2017 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE17001 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 2 model years: 2014 Suzuki DL1000, 2015 Suzuki DL1000. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.