NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE03-056: UNDER-RATED ELECTRICAL FUSE
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE03-056 on December 8, 2003 and closed it on February 6, 2004. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1998–2003 Western Alpine for it and links recall 04V-035 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE03-056 (also written PE03056)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed February 6, 2004
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- WESTERN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES, INC.
- Component
- Electrical System
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 04V-035: WESTERN RV/GROUND FUSE, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 1998–2003 Western Alpine
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE03-056.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
IN LATE NOVEMBER 2003, WESTERN RV MAILED OWNERS A LETTER ADVISING THEMOF AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT COULD CAUSE THE MOTOR HOME TO LOSE ALL ELECTRICAL POWER, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A STALLED VEHICLE WITHOUT LIGHTS. THE LETTER ADVISED THE OWNERS TO REPLACE THE GROUND FUSE WITH A HIGHER AMP VERION THAT WAS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER LETTER.THESE VEHICLES ARECLASS A40 FOOT MOTORHOMES. AS A RESULT OF THE AGENCY'S INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER AND DISCUSSIONS WITH WESTERN RV, THEY HAVEAGREED TO CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL.THEREFORE, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.A COPY OF THE SAFETY RECALL IS ATTACHED. FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY'S RESOURCES ARE UNWARRANTED.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE03-056. 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.
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.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE03-056
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.