NHTSA Investigation PE08037

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE

ON MAY 30, 2008, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION BASED ON CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT SMOKE AND/OR FIRE ERUPTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 2005-2006 NISSAN ARMADA AND TITAN VEHICLES.BY LETTER DATED JUNE 24, 2008, NISSAN NOTIFIED THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA #08V284) FOR MY2005-2006 NISSAN TITAN, ARMADA AND INFINITI QX56 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 17, 2005 TO AUGUST 21, 2006 THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH A 90-WATT AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER FAN.THE RECALL INVOLVES APPROXIMATELY 180,664 VEHICLES.THIS ALSO INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 5,689 SUBJECT CONDENSER FANS, SOME OF WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN MY2004 AND PRE-MARCH 17, 2005 MY NISSAN TITAN, ARMADA OR INFINITI QX56 VEHICLES AS A SERVICE REPLACEMENT PART.NISSAN DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPECIAL THERMAL PROTECTOR KIT ON EXISTING FANS THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE TO OCCUR.NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. (NISSAN) INFORMED ODI THAT THE 90-WATT AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER FAN WAS MANUFACTURED OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION ALLOWING FOR EXCESSIVE WATER INTRUSION AND INADEQUATE DRAINAGE OF MOISTURE THAT MAY ACCUMULATE IN THE MOTOR AS A RESULT OF WATER INTRUSION OR CONDENSATION.IF SUFFICIENT MOISTURE ACCUMULATES IN THE MOTOR WITHOUT ADEQUATE DRAINAGE, CORROSION MAY OCCUR.THE CORROSION CAN CAUSE AN INCREASE IN INTERNAL FRICTION AND AN INCREASE IN THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT DRAW, RESULTING IN AN INCREASE IN THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MOTOR THAT COULD MELT ITS WIRING INSULATION AND OTHER PLASTIC COMPONENTS AND FORM A GAS.IF TWO WIRES WITHOUT INSULATION TOUCH EACH OTHER AND CREATE A SPARK, THIS GAS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.THE ACTION TAKEN BY NISSAN IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.ACCORDINGLY, 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.