# NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA08010
> **NON-CRASH ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES** · Opened 2008-06-12 · Closed 2008-09-08
## Investigation
- **Action number:** EA08010
- **Type:** Engineering Analysis
- **Open date:** 2008-06-12
- **Close date:** 2008-09-08
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Affected makes:** BUICK; CADILLAC; CHEVROLET; GMC; HUMMER; SATURN
- **Affected components:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE; VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER; VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WI
- **Affected model years:** 2006, 2007, 2008
- **Affected (make, year) variants:** 477
## Summary

IN A LETTER DATED AUGUST 27, 2008, GENERAL MOTORS CORP. (GM) NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 08V-441) TO ADDRESS A SAFETY RELATEDDEFECT THAT CAN RESULT IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE IN APPROXIMATELY 850,000 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID OPTION.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES OF THIS INVESTIGATION COMPRISE OVER THREE-QUARTERS OF THE RECALL POPULATION. ACCORDING TO GM, A SHORT CIRCUIT ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID HEATER MODULE MAY OVERHEAT THE CONTROL-CIRCUIT GROUND WIRE. THIS MAY CAUSE OTHER ELECTRICAL FEATURES TO MALFUNCTION, CREATE AN ODOR OR CAUSE SMOKE AND IN RARE CASES IT MAY CAUSE A FIRE.AS A REMEDY, GM DEALERS WILL INSTALL A WIRE HARNESS WITH AN IN-LINE FUSE. IN ADDITION TO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, SEVERAL OTHER GM MODELS WITH THE HEATED WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID OPTION ARE INCLUDED IN RECALL 08V-441: MY 2006-2008 BUICK LUCERNE (MANUFACTURED AUGUST 2005 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2007); MY 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE (MANUFACTURED FEBRUARY 2007 THROUGH APRIL 2007); MY 2006-2008 CADILLAC DTS (MANUFACTURED MAY 2007 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2007); MY 2007-2008 SATURN OUTLOOK (MANUFACTURED AUGUST 2006 THROUGH APRIL 2007); AND MY 2007-2008 GMC ACADIA (MANUFACTURED AUGUST 2006 THROUGH APRIL 2007) VEHICLES.GM IS INSTRUCTING OWNERS TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR SERVICE IF THEY EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS OF WINDSHIELD WASHER HEATER MODULE SHORT CIRCUITS. GM'S RECALL RESOLVES THE SAFETY DEFECT CONCERNS PURSUED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED.

## Source
- [NHTSA ODI investigation page](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults?searchType=ID&targetCategory=I&searchCriteria.nhtsa_ids=EA08010)
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