NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA05-006: ALTERNATOR FAILURE / ENGINE STALLING

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA05-006 on March 25, 2005, the day it closed Preliminary Evaluation PE04-077, which this investigation's summary cites, and closed it on August 17, 2005. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2003–2004 Nissan Murano for it and links recall 05V-319 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: EA05-006 (also written EA05006)
Investigation type: Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
Status: Closed August 17, 2005
Opened: March 25, 2005
Closed: August 17, 2005
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Components: Electrical System; Electrical System — Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Recall linked by NHTSA: 05V-319: WIRE BREAKING INSIDE ALTERNATOR, reported July 14, 2005
Vehicles and equipment: 2003–2004 Nissan Murano

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA05-006.

ODI RECEIVED 14 REPORTS OF ALLEGED ENGINE STALLING DUE TO ALTERNATOR FAILURE ON MY 2003-2004 MURANO (SUBJECT) VEHICLES.ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS REPORTED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED AFTER THE STALL OCCURRED.BASED ON THESE COMPLAINTS, ODI OPENED PE04-077 AND LATER UPGRADED TO EA05-006 FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.DURING EA05-006, ADDITIONAL FAILURE DATA WERE IDENTIFIED AS NOTED IN THE FAILURE REPORT SUMMARY ABOVE.ON JULY 12, 2005, NISSAN NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT ON MY 2003-2005 MURANO VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM APRIL 8, 2002 AND SEPTEMBER 24, 2004 (RECALL 05V-319).

THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT AN OPEN CIRCUIT IN THE ALTERNATOR CAN OCCUR DUE TO WIRE FATIGUE CAUSED BY MOVEMENT OF THE ROTOR COIL DURING RAPID CHANGES IN ENGINE SPEED IN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT).

HIGHER ENGINE COMPARTMENT TEMPERATURE IN THE MURANO COMPARED TO OTHER NISSAN MODELS MAY ALSO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE WIRE FATIGUE.NISSAN ALSO REPORTED THAT WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE CHARGE WARNING AND BRAKE WARNING LAMPS WILL ILLUMINATE AND THE BATTERY WILL BEGIN TO DISCHARGE.AFTER A SHORT TIME, THE ENGINE WILL THEN ENTER A FAIL SAFE MODE THAT LIMITS VEHICLE SPEED.VERY SHORTLY AFTER REACHING THIS CONDITION, THE ENGINE WILL STOP.NHTSA'S TESTING, HOWEVER, SHOWED THAT ALTHOUGH THE WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATE, THE VEHICLE SPEED IS LIMITED TO ONLY 4-7 MPH RATHER THAN WHAT NHTSA CONSIDERS A FAIL SAFE MODE. NISSAN WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO ANY NISSAN DEALER FOR AN ALTERNATOR INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT, IF REQUIRED.NOTE:SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE HAD THE NEWLY DESIGNED ALTERNATOR PREVIOUSLY INSTALLED UNDER WARRANTY.CONSEQUENTLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA05-006. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Nissan

Nissan Murano
- 2003, 2004

All Nissan recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Nissan VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA05-006

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.