NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Preliminary Evaluation PE07-026: ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE

  • Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE07-026 on May 22, 2007 and closed it on June 27, 2007. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2007 Nissan Altima for it and links recall 07V-267 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number
PE07-026 (also written PE07026)
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 27, 2007
Opened
Closed
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
Nissan North America, Inc.
Component
Engine and Engine Cooling
Recall linked by NHTSA
  • 07V-267: ENGINE FIRES, reported
Vehicles and equipment
2007 Nissan Altima

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE07-026.

NISSAN NOTIFIED THE AGENCY ON JUNE 18, 2007 THAT IT WILL RECALL (RECALL # 07V267) ALL MY 2007 ALTIMA VEHICLES WITH 2.5 LITER ENGINE BUILT AT THE SMYRNA, TENNESSEE PLANT FROM SEPTEMBER 25, 2006 TO MAY 11, 2007 AND AT THE CANTON, MISSISSIPPI PLANT FROM OCTOBER 30, 2006 TO MAY 11, 2007.

NISSAN DETERMINED THAT IF A SUFFICIENTLY HOT OBJECT (FOR EXAMPLE, A CIGARETTE ASH OR OTHER IGNITION SOURCE) ENTERS THE AIR FILTER HOUSING THROUGH THE ENGINE FRESH AIR INTAKE SYSTEM AND CONTACTS THE AIR FILTER, THE FLAMMABILITY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIR FILTER MATERIAL ARE SUCH THAT THE FILTER MAY IGNITE.IF THE AIR FILTER IGNITES, A FIRE MAY OCCUR.VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THESE DATES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A DIFFERENT AIR FILTER.NISSAN WILL REMOVE THE ORIGINAL AIR FILTER AND INSTALL A NEW UNIT WITH IMPROVED ANTI-FLAMMABILITY CHARACTERISTICS.ODI IS AWARE OF 26 REPORTS OF FIRE (OF WHICH THREE WERE REPORTED DIRECTLY TO BOTH ODI AND NISSAN) AND NO INJURIES.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE07-026. 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

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 PE07-026

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.