NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE15-021: False Positive Automated Braking
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE15-021 on June 1, 2015 and closed it on September 28, 2016. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2014–2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE15-021 (also written PE15021)
- 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 28, 2016
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components
- Forward Collision Avoidance; Forward Collision Avoidance — Adaptive Cruise Control; Forward Collision Avoidance — Crash Imminent Braking; Forward Collision Avoidance — Dynamic Brake Support/Brake Assist; Forward Collision Avoidance — Sensing System
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2014–2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee
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 PE15-021.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
On June 1, 2015, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE15-021 to investigate 9 complaints alleging incidents of unintended braking in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles, including 2 alleging incidents of full ABS braking.
ODI expanded the scope to include MY 2015 Grand Cherokee vehicles and identified a total of 176 incidents in complaints provided by FCA or submitted to ODI by consumers.
ODI conducted the following work to assess the alleged defect in the subject vehicles:1) evaluated the design of the subject Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system, including the maximum braking authority during automated braking; 2) analyzed the frequency and severity of field incidents of unintended braking; 3) analyzed warranty data for evidence of system faults that may be related to the alleged defect; and 4) reviewed the performance of the subject system in testing conducted as part of NHTSA?s 2014 Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) test program.
ODI?s analysis found that the maximum brake activations that can be commanded by the subject system are limited in both braking force and duration.
The system is not capable of achieving full ABS braking, as alleged in some complaints, unless driver brake application triggers the Advanced Brake Assist (ABA) mode.
Analysis of field data found that unintended braking events occur randomly for a variety of causes and are not driven by any single environmental factor, traffic condition, or vehicle fault.
The incidents involve short duration moderate braking events with minimal changes in vehicle speed.
None of the incidents resulted in crash or injuries.
The subject vehicles performed as well or better than peer vehicles in testing conducted as part of NHTSA?s AEB test program.
This preliminary evaluation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that a safety related defect does not exist. For additional information, see the closing resume appendix and the investigation file for PE15-021.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE15-021. 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.
Jeep
All Jeep 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.
Jeep VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE15-021
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.