NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE24-032: EVDM connector plate separation
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE24-032 on November 5, 2024 and closed it on June 10, 2025. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Freightliner E-Cascadia and EM2 for it and links recall 25V-046 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE24-032 (also written PE24032)
- 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 June 10, 2025
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Daimler Trucks North America, LLC
- Component
- Electrical System
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 25V-046: Loss of Drive Power, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- Freightliner E-Cascadia and EM2
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE24-032.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) on November 6, 2024, to investigate Electric Vehicle Distribution Module (EVDM) connector plate separation on model year (MY) 2020-2025 Freightliner eCascadia and MY2022-2025 Freightliner eM2 electric trucks. The EVDM connector plate contains multiple safety-related circuits including Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), stability control and vehicle protective mechanisms to de-energize the high-voltage propulsion system. In January 2025, prior to Daimler Truck North America's (DTNA) final response to ODI's Information Request (IR) letter, DTNA conducted controlled testing of the EVDM. The final test results demonstrated that in certain circumstances of EVDM separation, the vehicle may lose motive power without prior warning to the driver. Based on the EVDM testing results, DTNA filed a recall (NHTSA ID 25V-046). This recall covers MY2020-2025 Freightliner eCascadia and MY2022-2026 Freightliner eM2 electric trucks. These vehicles will have the EVDM replaced if the plate shows separation from the housing. The recall chronology identified that DTNA had received nine warranty claims and six field reports for this issue. This Preliminary Evaluation has been closed as a result of the manufacturer filing recall 25V-046. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE24-032. 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 PE24-032
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.