NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE15-009: Extended Stopping Distance
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE15-009 on March 23, 2015 and closed it on September 9, 2015. NHTSA's investigations file lists 3 Mitsubishi Fuso models for it and links recall 15V-504 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE15-009 (also written PE15009)
- 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 9, 2015
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America, Inc.
- Components
- Service Brakes; Service Brakes, Hydraulic; Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Foundation Components — Disc — Caliper; Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Foundation Components — Disc — Pads; Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Foundation Components — Disc — Rotor; Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Pedals and Linkages
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 15V-504: Brake Pad Shims may Corrode, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 3 Mitsubishi Fuso models, including the FEC52 and FEC72
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE15-009.
On March 23rd 2015 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) PE15-009 based on Early Warning Report (EWR) data received from Mitsubishi describing brake failures on model year (MY) 2012 -2013 Mitsubishi FUSO FEC 52, FEC72 and FEC92 trucks.
Following the receipt of recall 15V-504 that addresses the concerns raised in this investigation, ODI is closing this PE.In November 2013, Mitsubishi released a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB 13-004) where they describe replacing original equipment (OE) brake pad shims with stainless steel shims due to corrosion.
This service bulletin was referenced as the remedy in many of the EWR/field reports received by ODI that described extended stopping distances.
On July 9th Mitsubishi responded to ODI's Information Request (IR) letter and identified 9 field reports, 26 warranty claims and 1 consumer complaint that resulted in a crash and injuring two consumers.
An ODI investigator conducted interviews and analyzed field reports that supported concerns of drivers alleging a spongy brake pedal and difficulty stopping the vehicle while driving.
Some reports describe the brake pedal going to the floor when depressed.
Mitsubishi indicated that on certain affected vehicles, the original equipped brake pad shims are comprised of a material that rusts/corrodes when subjected to snow/ice melting chemicals applied to roadways.
Normal operation in this condition may cause the shims to swell, resulting in increased brake pedal stroke that could result in increased stopping distances, causing a crash without warning.
In their IR response, Mitsubishi states that even with the increased pedal stroke, the brake performance still meets safety standards and so the corroding brake shims are not a safety issue.
As a result of ODI analysis and further discussions with the manufacturer outlining the risk to safety extended stopping distance represents, Mistsubishi decided to conduct a safety recall.
ODI is closing this PE with Mitsubishi's voluntary safety recall 15V-504.
Mitsubishi expanded the scope to of the recall beyond the scope of this investigation to include MY 2014 FUSO FEC 52, FEC72 and FEC92 trucks.
With the recall action taken by Mitsubishi, this investigation is closed as further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.
The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or MY vehicles outside of the recall scope. 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 PE15-009. 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.
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 PE15-009
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.