# NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE08014
> **PASSENGER DOOR FIRE** · Opened 2008-03-04 · Closed 2008-07-01
## Investigation
- **Action number:** PE08014
- **Type:** Preliminary Evaluation
- **Open date:** 2008-03-04
- **Close date:** 2008-07-01
- **Manufacturer:** Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
- **Affected makes:** MITSUBISHI
- **Affected components:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH; VISIBILITY; VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
- **Affected model years:** 2002, 2003
- **Affected (make, year) variants:** 12
## Summary

COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT A FIRE ERUPTED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR.IN MITSUBISHI'S RESPONSE TO ODI'S MARCH 12, 2008 INFORMATION REQUEST, MITSUBISHI ASSERTS THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT MAY OCCUR WHEN LARGE AMOUNTS OF LIQUIDS, MORE THAN 100CC (3.4 OZ), LIKE A SOFT DRINK WERE SPILLED DIRECTLY OVER THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH AREA, ALL AT ONCE AND AT ONE TIME.MITSUBISHI FOUND THAT AS THE LIQUID DRIES OFF, ELECTROLYTES AND CARBONIZED PARTICLES ACCUMULATE BETWEEN THE TERMINALS IN THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH AND BECOME A CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL.AS A RESULT, THE SWITCH MAY START TO HEAT UP AND MELT OR IGNITE THE PLASTIC COMPONENTS.HOWEVER, MITSUBISHI ALSO ASSERTS THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT IS VERY RARE AND THAT BURNING DAMAGE WILL NOT OCCUR UNLESS LIQUIDS ENTER INTO THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH.ODI UPGRADED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS, EA08-011, TO FURTHER EVALUATE THIS ISSUE.

## Source
- [NHTSA ODI investigation page](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults?searchType=ID&targetCategory=I&searchCriteria.nhtsa_ids=PE08014)
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