Investigation PE07052: 2007 Chrysler Pacifica

Status

CLOSED

Opened

Oct 19, 2007

Closed

Feb 21, 2008

Model years

2007

Subject

Engine compartment fire

Component: Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Power steering fluid

Summary

Complainants allege that a fire erupted under the hood, near the front of the vehicle.in chrysler's response to odi's november 2, 2007 information request, chrysler asserts that the alleged defect occurs only in the 4.0l engines and the consumer will experience a loss of power steering fluid or a noisy power steering pump before seeing any evidence of smoke or fire.chrysler also states that a tube nut on the high pressure power steering line was discovered to be cross threaded during the assembly process and did not allow proper sealing of the o-ring.the power steering system in the 4.0l engine is assembled at the chrysler plant.the power steering system for the 3.8l engines arrives at the chrysler plant pre-assembled.chrysler found that in the 4.0l engine, it was possible to cross-thread the tube nut on the high pressure line during its attachment to the steering gear, thus creating an improper seal.chrysler implemented assembly plant process changes to eliminate the possibility of cross-threading, and applied additional quality control measures to detect power steering fluid leaks.chrysler stated that warranty and field data suggests that these process changes have minimized the possibility of cross-threading.with regard to the vehicles produced prior to the production change, a review of the warranty claims indicates that the alleged defect has not declined in the 4.0l population.odi is upgrading this preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis, ea08-006, to further evaluate the issue.

An NHTSA investigation looks into whether a safety defect exists. Opening one is not a finding. Outcomes can include a recall, closure without action, or further inquiry.

Model years covered

• 2007 Chrysler Pacifica326 complaints