NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE14-029: Headlight failures/fires
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE14-029 on September 11, 2014 and closed it on February 27, 2015. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2013 International Prostar for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE14-029 (also written PE14029)
- 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 27, 2015
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Navistar, Inc.
- Component
- Exterior Lighting — Headlights
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2013 International Prostar
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 PE14-029.
This investigation was opened based on a consumer complaint alleging a headlight fire on a MY 2013 International Prostar.
A fire cause and origin report accompanied the complaint and placed the origin at the headlight assembly but did not confirm the first material ignited.
The complainant reported two injuries due to smoke inhalation by the driver and passenger as well as a broken ankle suffered by the passenger when they jumped out of the vehicle.
During the investigation, ODI collected and reviewed subject and peer vehicle information related to the alleged defect.
ODI selected model year 2012 and 2014 Navistar Prostar vehicles as peer vehicles.
ODI sent an Information Request letter to Navistar in order to collect production, complaint, warranty, part sales, and design information.
Navistar provided all requested information.
A thorough review of available data revealed the only known complaint and injury event was the single complaint submitted to NHTSA.Navistar reported having received 250 warranty claims relative to the alleged defect on the subject vehicle.
A detailed review of these claims indicated that single headlights failed sporadically over the life of the truck.
No incidents were found to include simultaneous failure of both the left and right headlights.
ODI also analyzed data for 39,687 peer MY 2012 and 2014 Prostar vehicles.
Navistar used the same search criteria on the peer vehicles as the subject vehicles and identified 439 warranty claims. Again, no fires, injuries or simultaneous failures were identified.
No design changes were reported for the headlights on subject vehicles.
However, Navistar reported three design changes for the 2014 peer vehicles.
One of the changes was to offer LED headlights.
Another involved a changed in the headlight assembly supplier as a cost savings initiative, and the third was in response to warranty claims.
All designs are interchangeable with the subject vehicles.
Change 91885Z was put into vehicle production on November 4, 2013 and improved the headlight connections.
The majority of warranty claims received reported the headlight failed as a result of the connection melting.
This change was implemented to correct this issue.
ODI surveyed five fleets and all reported they did not have repeat headlight failures with the new harness connectors.
Navistar assessed the alleged fire reported to ODI.While the fire did originate in the headlight assembly area,Navistar does not believe it was due to the headlight harness or connections.
Navistar believes it originated in the marker/turn signal harness or connection, which is also located in the headlight assembly.
Pictures in the cause and origin report clearly show the headlight harness intact, which wouldn't be the case if it was the initial material ignited.
This correlates with the driver's statement that the headlights weren't on at the time of failure as there would be no current in the headlight harness if the headlights were not illuminated.
ODI does not dispute Navistar's assessment of the alleged defect and did not identify a trend of headlight failures or fires.
There is redundancy when a single light fails and it is easily identified and remedied.
Additionally, the Prostar features software to alert the driver when a headlight goes out and if properly equipped with satellite communication can simultaneously alert fleet management.
This investigation is closed as further use of agency resources does not appear warranted.
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 warra
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE14-029. 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.
International
International Prostar
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 PE14-029
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.