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NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Preliminary Evaluation PE10-049: Engine Cooling Fan Fracture

  • Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE10-049 on December 7, 2010 and closed it on February 17, 2012. NHTSA's investigations file lists 6 models from 3 makes for it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number
PE10-049 (also written PE10049)
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 February 17, 2012
Opened
Closed
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
General Motors, LLC
Component
Engine and Engine Cooling — Cooling System — Fan
Vehicles and equipment
6 models from 3 makes, including the Chevrolet W4500 and Chevrolet W5500

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 PE10-049.

try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.

Past recalls and complaint experience indicate that the disintegration of vehicular components (not necessarily limited to fan blade assemblies) rotating at or near engine speeds can pose a hazard to individuals in proximity to the affected vehicle.

This risk has frequently prompted responsive corrective field actions.

This investigation (PE10-049) has not identified any (a) fatalities; (b) injuries; and/or (c) ?close-call incidents which, if reported, might provide an indication of the nature and severity of injuries which may occur if a fan blade installed in subject GMT vehicles were to fracture.

Although ODI remains concerned about the potential for injury, ODI is closing this investigation because (1) the absence of an identified root cause or causal factors; and (2) the modest and declining level of complaint activity associated with fan blade breakage which indicates that the potential risk of injury is also small and diminishing.

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 circumstances.

Further details are provided in the attached Executive Summary and ODI Technical Report Summary for PE10-049.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE10-049. 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

All Chevrolet recalls

GMC

All GMC recalls

Isuzu

  • Isuzu 4500 Series

    • 2006

  • Isuzu 5000 Series

    • 2006
All Isuzu 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.

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

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for PE10-049

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.