NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE08-042: WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MODULE FAILURE
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE08-042 on July 16, 2008 and closed it on October 15, 2008. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2003 Hummer H2 for it and links recall 08V-456 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE08-042 (also written PE08042)
- 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 October 15, 2008
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- General Motors, LLC
- Component
- Visibility — Windshield Wiper/Washer — Motor
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 08V-456: WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2003 Hummer H2
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE08-042.
THIS INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT WATER INTRUSION INTO THE WIPER MOTOR MODULE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY LEAD TO INTERMITTENT OPERATION OR SUBSEQUENT TOTAL SYSTEM FAILURE.ANALYSIS OF DATA DISCLOSED THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN FEBRUARY 2003 AND MAY 2003 EXHIBITED HIGH WARRANTY CLAIM RATES.THE MANUFACTURED NOTIFIED NHTSA BY LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 8, 2008, THAT A SAFETY RECALL PROGRAM HAS BEEN INITIATED FOR THE 13,358 VEHICLES BUILT DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.NHTSA HAS ASSIGNED NO. 08V-456 TO THIS SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN.CORRECTIVE ACTION WILL CONSIST OF REPLACING THE WIPER MODULE COVER, WHERE EVIDENCE OF WATER INTRUSION EXISTS.TO CORRESPOND WITH PARTS AVAILABILITY, THE DEALER BULLETIN AND OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER ARE SCHEDULED FOR ISSUANCE IN NOVEMBER 2008.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE08-042. 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.
Hummer
Hummer H2
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 PE08-042
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.