NHTSA Investigation EA06013

ENGINE STALLING

IN A NOVEMBER 8, 2006 LETTER, DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION (DCC) SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT TO NHTSA CONCERNING TWO SEPARATE DEFECT CONDITIONS THAT COULD RESULT IN ENGINE STALL WHILE DRIVING IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2005-2006 CHRYSLER PACIFICA VEHICLES (NHTSA RECALL NO. 06V-432).MY 2005 VEHICLES BUILT IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER OF 2004 ARE BEING RECALLED TO CORRECT A DEFECT IN THE SECONDARY FUEL PUMP MODULES, WHICH MAY HAVE AN IMPROPER PRESS FITTING ON THE INLET THAT CAN BECOME DISLODGED AND SHUT-OFF FUEL FLOW.ALL MY 2005-2006 VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN JULY 8, 2004 AND NOVEMBER 11, 2005 ARE BEING RECALLED TO CORRECT A POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) SOFTWARE ISSUE WITH THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS SYSTEM WHICH CAN ALSO CAUSE STALLING.FOR BOTH CONDITIONS, ENGINE STALL INCIDENTS TEND TO OCCUR DURING LEFT TURNS. THERE WERE 17,375 VEHICLES BUILT DURING AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 2004 THAT WERE AFFECTED BY BOTH THE FUEL PUMP MODULE AND PCM SOFTWARE CONDITIONS.THERE WERE 30 VOQS SUBMITTED TO ODI, 58 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO DCC AND 829 FIELD REPORTS RELATING TO VEHICLES PRODUCED DURING THIS PERIOD.WHILE THESE ARE MOSTLY RELATED TO THE FUEL PUMP CONDITION, SOME MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE SOFTWARE FAULT.THE RESULTING STALL WHILE DRIVING FAILURE RATE FOR THIS PERIOD IS 5,278 INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.THERE WERE TWO CRASHES ALLEGED TO HAVE RESULTED FROM THESE INCIDENTS.THERE WERE 1,021 WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR FUEL PUMP MODULE REPLACEMENT THAT APPEAR RELATED TO ENGINE STALL (5.9% CLAIM RATE). THE POPULATION FOR THE REMAINING VEHICLES INCLUDED IN 06V-432 (I.E., THOSE ONLY AFFECTED BY THE SOFTWARE CONDITION) IS 114,523.THERE WERE 97 VOQS, 124 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO DCC AND 454 DCC FIELD REPORTS RELATING TO THESE VEHICLES.THE RESULTING STALL WHILE DRIVING FAILURE RATE IS 589 PER 100,000 VEHICLES.THERE WERE SEVEN CRASHES ALLEGED TO HAVE RESULTED FROM THESE INCIDENTS.THERE WERE 3,211 WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR PCM REFLASH THAT APPEAR RELATED TO ENGINE STALL IN THE TOTAL POPULATION OF 131,898 VEHICLES (2.4% CLAIM RATE). ALL CALCULATIONS ARE BASED ON UNIQUE VINS (MULTIPLE/REPEAT FAILURES NOT INCLUDED IN THESE CALCULATIONS) WITH NO DUPLICATION ACROSS CATEGORIES.DCC'S RECALL WILL REPROGRAM THE PCM SOFTWARE AND REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP MODULES IN ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN CLOSED.

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.