NHTSA Investigation PE15009

Extended Stopping Distance

On March 23rd 2015 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) PE15-009 based on Early Warning Report (EWR) data received from Mitsubishi describing brake failures on model year (MY) 2012 -2013 Mitsubishi FUSO FEC 52, FEC72 and FEC92 trucks.Following the receipt of recall 15V-504 that addresses the concerns raised in this investigation, ODI is closing this PE.In November 2013, Mitsubishi released a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB 13-004) where they describe replacing original equipment (OE) brake pad shims with stainless steel shims due to corrosion.This service bulletin was referenced as the remedy in many of the EWR/field reports received by ODI that described extended stopping distances.On July 9th Mitsubishi responded to ODI's Information Request (IR) letter and identified 9 field reports, 26 warranty claims and 1 consumer complaint that resulted in a crash and injuring two consumers.An ODI investigator conducted interviews and analyzed field reports that supported concerns of drivers alleging a spongy brake pedal and difficulty stopping the vehicle while driving.Some reports describe the brake pedal going to the floor when depressed.Mitsubishi indicated that on certain affected vehicles, the original equipped brake pad shims are comprised of a material that rusts/corrodes when subjected to snow/ice melting chemicals applied to roadways.Normal operation in this condition may cause the shims to swell, resulting in increased brake pedal stroke that could result in increased stopping distances, causing a crash without warning.In their IR response, Mitsubishi states that even with the increased pedal stroke, the brake performance still meets safety standards and so the corroding brake shims are not a safety issue.As a result of ODI analysis and further discussions with the manufacturer outlining the risk to safety extended stopping distance represents, Mistsubishi decided to conduct a safety recall.ODI is closing this PE with Mitsubishi's voluntary safety recall 15V-504.Mitsubishi expanded the scope to of the recall beyond the scope of this investigation to include MY 2014 FUSO FEC 52, FEC72 and FEC92 trucks.With the recall action taken by Mitsubishi, this investigation is closed as further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or MY vehicles outside of the recall scope. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

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.