NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE11-015: Battery Cable Corrosion
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE11-015 on April 26, 2011 and closed it on September 29, 2011. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2004–2007 Ford E-350 Van for it and links recall 11V-470 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE11-015 (also written PE11015)
- 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 September 29, 2011
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- REV Ambulance Group Orlando, Inc.
- Components
- Electrical System; Electrical System — 12V/24V/48V Battery; Electrical System — 12V/24V/48V Battery — Cables; Electrical System — Wiring — Fuses and Circuit Breakers
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 11V-470: REMOTE BATTERY TERMINAL, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2004–2007 Ford E-350 Van
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE11-015.
On April 4th 2011, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE11-015) to investigate allegations of complete loss of electrical system accessories in certain Wheeled Coach ambulances. These vehicles are used in emergency response operations, and first responders are dependent on its reliability especially during life-saving situations. Allegations of electrical system failure received by ODI include, but are not limited to, lights, sirens, and life-support equipment.
The subject vehicles are equipped with a 400 amp fuse buss/relay (commonly known as a remote battery terminal) that is a central conduit for electrical power distribution to the patient cab area as well as other mission critical equipment.
It was determined by the manufacturer that the failure mechanism involves the Ford O.E.M. secondary remote battery terminal.
According to the manufacturer, the corrosion of the secondary remote battery terminal is due to road salt and other caustic deicing agents used as a road surface treatment in the Northeast regions.
The calcium chloride in de-icing agents deteriorates the copper compounds found in the 400-amp fuse buss resulting in an electrical short circuit. This short circuit can cause failure of critical systems in the vehicle constituting a safety defect.
On September 8, 2011, Wheeled Coach Industries submitted a Part 573 defect notice indicating it would conduct a safety recall to remedy approximately 725 affected ambulances (MY 2004-2010) operating in the following states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and the District of Columbia.
This investigation is closed with a safety recall 11V-470.
NHTSA will continue to monitor the recalled vehicles to ensure the remedy implemented by Wheeled Coach is adequate. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE11-015. 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.
Ford
All Ford 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.
Ford VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE11-015
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.