NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE04-004: HYDRAULIC PUMP SHAFT FAILURES
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE04-004 on January 8, 2004 and closed it on April 30, 2004. NHTSA's investigations file lists 10 models from 2 makes for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE04-004 (also written PE04004)
- 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 April 30, 2004
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- General Motors, LLC
- Components
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic; Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Power Assist; Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Power Assist — Hydraulic; Steering — Hydraulic Power Assist System; Steering — Hydraulic Power Assist — Pump
- Vehicles and equipment
- 10 models from 2 makes, including the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and Chevrolet Silverado 3500
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE04-004.
THE PRELIMINARY EVAULATION IS BEING UPGRADED.DURING THE EA ODI WILL LIMITITS INVESTIGATION TO ONLY THOSE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HYDRO-BOOST SYSTEM, WHICH PROVIDES POWER ASSIST TO THE BRAKING AND STEERING SYTEMS.VACCUUM BRAKE BOOSTER VEHICLES ARE EXCLUDED.ODI HASEXPANDED THE SCOPE OF THE EA TO INCLUDE MODEL YEARS2003 AND 2004, ASDURING THE PE, ODI LEARNED THAT THE HYDROBOAST PUMPS WERE MODIFIED IN FEBRAURY 2004.
THEREFORE,ODI HAS EXPANDED THE SCOPE TO INCLUDE THE ADDITIONAL MODEL YEARS.ODI'S IS CONCERNED BECAUSE THISISA SUDDEN FAILURE THAT AFFECTS TWO CRITICAL SYSTEMS OF THE VEHICLE, BRAKES AND STEERING, AT THE SAME TIME.THE ABILITY OF THE OPERATOR TO HANDLE THE DUAL FAILURES IS A CONCERN. FURTHER, THESE VEHICLES TEND TO BE WORK VEHICLES, WITH SOME OVER 10,000 POUNDS GVWR AND MANY EQUIPPED TO PULL LARGE TRAILERS.DUAL FAILURES OF HEAVILY LOADED VEHICLES AND VEHICLES PULLING TRAILERS FURTHER INCREASES THE SAFETY RISK.ODI PLANS TO CONDUCT TESTING TO QUANTIFY THE BRAKING AND STEERING PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION AND THE IMPACT ON SAFE VEHICLE CONTROL, WHEN A HYDROBOAST PUMP FAILS.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE04-004. 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.
Chevrolet
Chevrolet Silverado 2500
Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD
Chevrolet Silverado 3500
Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD
Chevrolet W3500
GMC
GMC Sierra 2500
GMC Sierra 2500 HD
GMC Sierra 3500
GMC Sierra 3500 HD
- 2000, 2001
GMC W3500
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 PE04-004
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.