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NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Preliminary Evaluation PE11-008: Caterpillar C7 Hose Leak

  • Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE11-008 on March 29, 2011 and closed it on January 30, 2012. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Caterpillar C7 for it and links recall 11E-051 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number
PE11-008 (also written PE11008)
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 January 30, 2012
Opened
Closed
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
Caterpillar, Inc.
Components
Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine — Diesel; Engine and Engine Cooling — Exhaust System — Emission Control — Gas Recirculation Valve (EGR VALVE)
Recall linked by NHTSA
Vehicles and equipment
Caterpillar C7

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE11-008.

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received 1 fleet complaint (involving 8 incidents on 6 vehicles) alleging that the Clean Gas Induction (CGI) coolant lines on affected vehicles had developed leaks resulting in a vehicle stall.

Caterpillar conducted system testing and determined that coolant in the subject engines may become increasingly acidic over time, which may result in damage to the inner walls of the coolant hoses.

In at least four (4) cases this has resulted in stranded school buses due to coolant loss.

Caterpillar (CAT) submitted a recall notice on December 2, 2011.

CAT's announcement of a safety recall on this matter addresses ODI's concerns.

Coolant will be checked and changed more frequently to prevent in-field pH degradation and coolant hoses damaged from this issue will be replaced under warranty. The subject vehicles have been recalled, therefore this investigation is closed.

The ODI report cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) number: 10446420

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE11-008. 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.

American Caterpillar

  • American Caterpillar (model not given)

    • model year not given

Caterpillar

  • Caterpillar C7

    • model year not given
All Caterpillar 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 PE11-008

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.