NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE07-055: GASOLINE SUPPLY LINE TO GEN'R SEEPAGE
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE07-055 on November 14, 2007 and closed it on March 14, 2008. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1998–1999 Fleetwood Bounder for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE07-055 (also written PE07055)
- 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 March 14, 2008
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES, INC.
- Components
- Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline — Delivery — Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
- Vehicles and equipment
- 1998–1999 Fleetwood Bounder
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 PE07-055.
ODI'S INVESTIGATION HAS FOUND THAT THE 1/4 INSIDE DIAMETER FUEL HOSE THAT PROVIDES GASOLINE TO THE VEHICLE'S ON-BOARD GENERATOR CAN CRACK AND SEEP FUEL. COMPLAINT SUMMARIES INDICATE THAT OWNERS HAVE TYPICALLY DETECTED A SEEPING FUEL LINE THROUGH (1) THE ODOR OF RAW GASOLINE FUMES AND/OR (2) ERRATIC OR NON-START GENERATOR PERFORMANCE.ODI HAS FOUND THAT THE FUEL IN THE GENERATOR FUEL SUPPLY HOSE IS PULLED INTO THE GENERATOR BY SUCTION SO THE GENERATOR IS LIKELY TO PULL AIR INTO THE FUEL LINE THROUGH MINOR CRACKS IN THE FUEL LINE CAUSING ERRATIC GENERATOR PERFORMANCE WELL BEFORE THE CRACKS WILL INCREASE IN SIZE SUFFICIENTLY TO SEEP SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF GASOLINE.RISK OF FIRE IS NEGLIGIBLE SINCE THE VOLUME OF FUEL SEEPAGE IS SMALL AND THE SEEPAGE IS UNLIKELY TO SPRAY BECAUSE THE FUEL LINE IS NOT PRESSURIZED.ALSO, THE FUEL TANK , GENERATOR, AND FUEL LINES ARE MOUNTED AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DISTANT FROM HOT ENGINE PARTS AND/OR ANY OTHER LIKELY SOURCES OF IGNITION. FLEETWOOD HAS INFORMED ODI THAT THEY INTEND TO PROVIDE ANOTIFICATION TO AFFECTED OWNERS THAT (1) ADVISES THAT THE GENERATOR FUEL LINE SHOULD BE INSPECTED FREQUENTLY AND (2) DESCRIBES THE SYMPTOMS OF A DETERIORATING FUEL LINE SO THAT AFFECTED OWNERS WILL RECOGNIZE THE SYMPTOMS INDICATING A FUEL LINE LEAK OR SEEP HAS, OR IS ABOUT TO OCCUR, SO THE OWNERS MAY APPROPRIATELY DIAGNOSE AND RESPOND BY CORRECTING THE PROBLEM.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE07-055. 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.
Fleetwood
All Fleetwood recallsWhat 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 PE07-055
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.