NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE14-012: Fuel level gauge system failure
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE14-012 on May 8, 2014 and closed it on January 13, 2015. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2007–2009 Nissan Quest for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE14-012 (also written PE14012)
- 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 13, 2015
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Nissan North America, Inc.
- Component
- Fuel System, Other — Storage — Fuel Gauge System
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2007–2009 Nissan Quest
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 PE14-012.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
On May 8, 2014, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE14-012 to investigate allegations of inaccurate fuel tank fill level while driving resulting in the vehicle running out of fuel in model year (MY) 2007 Nissan Quest vehicles.
During this investigation, Nissan identified a condition in the subject vehicles that may result in the fuel gauge falsely indicating more than the actual amount of fuel remaining in the gas tank. According to Nissan, the combination meter voltage divider circuit for the sender unit may have one of two resistors open or lifted resulting in a fuel gauge malfunction and inaccurate fuel level reading.
When this condition occurs, the fuel gauge in the combination meter will continue to track the actual amount of fuel in the gas tank down to approximately one quarter of a tank.
However, the fuel gauge will not go any lower which may cause drivers to run out of fuel unexpectedly.
Additionally, ODI analyzed complaint data provided by Nissan as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, ODI identified 136 unique complaints indicating an inaccurate fuel level reading while driving in the subject vehicles. Seventy (70) fuel gauge related stalls were identified, resulting in a complaint rate of 1.85 incidents per thousand vehicles after approximately 8 years in service. In addition, analysis of warranty and combination meter part sales data provided by Nissan indicate a claim rate of less than 1% for all part replacements involving fuel gauge malfunctions.
During PE14-012, Nissan developed a remedy procedure and issued Service Campaign PC 335 on approximately 68,003 MY 2007 through 2009 Nissan Quest vehicles.
Owners of the affected vehicles will receive preliminary notification by mail recommending owners to keep fuel level above ? tank at all times until repair parts become available.
Once the remedy kits become available, Nissan plans to send another letter to affected customers to take their vehicle to a Nissan dealer who will install an external amplifier box with jumper harness in the combination meter to bypass the electric circuit and ensure accurate fuel level indication.
The bulletin was sent to dealers on December 19th, 2014 and the owner letter mailing began on December 31st, 2014. See the investigative file for copies of Nissan's dealer communication and owner letter. Based on the relatively low rate of engine stall incidents for vehicles that have been in service for 8-9 years, this investigation is closed.
The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.
The agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect and take further action in the future if warranted.
The following VOQ numbers are associated with the issues discussed in this closing resume:10503555, 10505390, 10513356, 10525325, 10549839, 10551187, 10552937, 10559300, 10565794, 10567557, 10568302, 10574869, 10575303, 10588121, 10588843, 10594370, 10595029, 10597201, 10598275, 10608182, 10610671, 10615104, 10615697, 10617309, 10618457, 10621549, 10622551, 10627963, 10632742, 10633833, 10637512, 10638279, 10640959, 10641050, 10643726, 10643791, 10643933, 10644085, 10649107, 10649598, 10652109, 10660231, 10661351, 10662656, 10662666.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE14-012. 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.
Nissan
All Nissan 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.
Nissan VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE14-012
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.