NHTSA Investigation PE05049

ENGINE FIRES

THE OPENING OF THIS INVESTIGATION WAS BASED ON TWO ISSUES, THE FIRSTBEING A PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (PIP) RELEASED BY CATERPILLAR (PI30821) RELATING TO AN OIL LINE LEAK ON CERTAIN C15 ENGINES THAT CAN OCCUR AT THE RIGHT REAR TURBO-CHARGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE.THIS PIP INCLUDES A LETTER SENT TO OWNERS OF THE C15 ENGINES THAT STATES THAT THE MANUFACTURER URGES THE OWNER TO HAVE THE SERVICE PERFORMED FOR YOUR ADDED SAFETY AND SATISFACTION.THE SECOND ISSUE WAS A REPORT FORWARDED TO ODI FROM A FIRE INVESTIGATOR IN CANADA.THIS INVESTIGATOR REPORTED THAT HE HAD INVESTIGATED A FIRE ON A 2005 MODEL YEAR KENWORTH T800 WITH A CATERPILLAR C15 ENGINE.THE INVESTIGATION FOUND THE FIRE ORIGINATED AT THE RIGHT REAR OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE BURNED VEHICLE WERE FORWARDED WITH THE REPORT.AS A RESULT OF ODITHE OPENING OF THIS INVESTIGATION WAS BASED ON TWO ISSUES, THE FIRSTBEING A PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (PIP) RELEASED BY CATERPILLAR (PI30821) RELATING TO AN OIL LINE LEAK ON CERTAIN C15 ENGINES THAT CAN OCCUR AT THE RIGHT REAR TURBO-CHARGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE.THIS PIP INCLUDES A LETTER SENT TO OWNERS OF THE C15 ENGINES THAT STATES THAT THE MANUFACTURER URGES THE OWNER TO HAVE THE SERVICE PERFORMED FOR YOUR ADDED SAFETY AND SATISFACTION.THE SECOND ISSUE WAS A REPORT FORWARDED TO ODI FROM A FIRE INVESTIGATOR IN CANADA.THIS INVESTIGATOR REPORTED THAT HE HAD INVESTIGATED A FIRE ON A 2005 MODEL YEAR KENWORTH T800 WITH A CATERPILLAR C15 ENGINE.THE INVESTIGATION FOUND THE FIRE ORIGINATED AT THE RIGHT REAR OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE BURNED VEHICLE WERE FORWARDED WITH THE REPORT.AS A RESULT OF ODI?S INVESTIGATION, CATERPILLAR HAS AGREED TO CONVERT THE PIP TOA SAFETY RECALL.THE RECALL REMEDY WILL INVOLVE THE ADDITION OF A CLIP THAT WILL PREVENT VVA LINE ABRASION AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE VVA LINE IF INSPECTIONS SHOWS SIGNS OF WEAR.THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS ( FREIGHTLINER, WESTERN STAR, AND PACCAR) WILL BE NOTIFIFIED BY CATERPILLAR.A COPY OF CATERPILLAR'S RECALL IS ATTACHED.A COPY OF THE RECALL IS ATTACHED.CATERPILLAR'S ACTION RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION AND, THEREFORE, THIS INVESTIGATION IS 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.