NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Preliminary Evaluation PE04-017: OVERHEATING OF SEAT HEATERS

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE04-017 on February 18, 2004 and closed it on June 21, 2004. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1999–2000 Chrysler Town And Country for it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: PE04-017 (also written PE04017)
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 June 21, 2004
Opened: February 18, 2004
Closed: June 21, 2004
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component: Seats — Front Assembly — Seat Heater/Cooler
Vehicles and equipment: 1999–2000 Chrysler Town And Country

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 PE04-017.

ODI OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON 24 COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT THE ELECTRICALLY HEATED DRIVER OR PASSENGER SEAT SPARKS/OVERHEATS.DAIMLERCHRYSLER BELIEVES THE FAILURE IS DUE TO ONE OF TWO FACTORS:THE STITCHING OPERATION ON THE SEAT COVER MAY CAUSE THE SEWING NEEDLE TO SEVER SOME STRANDS OF THE WIRE HEATING GRID IN THE SEAT, OR A POOR SOLDER JOINT/WIRE CONNECTOR FAILS DUE TO IMPROPER PROCESSING OR LONG TERM OVERSTRESSING.THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE SEAT HEATER SWITCH MUST BOTH BE TURNED ON TO POWER THE SEAT HEATER.COMPLAINANTS REPORT THAT WHEN OVERHEATING OCCURS, SWITCHING THE HEATER OFF ALSO STOPS THE OVERHEATING.THE FAILURE CANNOT OCCUR IN AN UNATTENDED VEHICLE WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF.ODI FINDS THAT THE 33 FIRE ALLEGATIONS ARE REPORTING VERY LOCALIZED OVERHEATING(PHOTOS OF DAMAGED SEATS SHOW HOLES THE SIZE OF A PENCIL OR LESS).

THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF SUSTAINED COMBUSTION AND NO REPORTS OF OTHER FIRE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE.THE INJURY ALLEGATIONS ARE REPORTING MINOR INJURY.NO CONSUMERS REQUIRED MEDICAL TREATMENT (PHYSICIAN CARE).

THERE ARE NO ALLEGATIONS OF LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL DUE TO FAILURE OF A HEATED SEAT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE04-017. 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.

Chrysler

Chrysler Town And Country
- 1999, 2000

All Chrysler 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.

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

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for PE04-017

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.