WASHINGTON — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary evaluation to investigate transmission hose leaks in an estimated 44,000 2008 Nissan Maximas. Such investigations sometimes lead to a safety recall.NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigations says it has 'received early warning data to indicate that the automatic transmission cooler hose may have pinholes that allow the transmission fluid to leak onto the exhaust system and ignite. The data indicates a potential risk of vehicle fire.'In NHTSA's Failure Report Summary posted on its Web site, Nissan reports no injuries or fatalities related to the preliminary evaluation.What this means to you: Sit tight for now, but be aware that the feds are looking into this. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent