GAS TANK GUARD

NHTSA investigation DP96003 is a Defect Petition opened on 1996-01-02 and currently closed. The subject of record is CHEVROLET CHEVROLET, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for CHEVROLET. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1996-02-09 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.

A Defect Petition like DP96003 starts when a person or group formally asks NHTSA to investigate a specific alleged defect. Petitioners submit evidence, NHTSA reviews it within 120 days, and either grants the petition (opening a PE) or denies it with a written explanation in the Federal Register.

Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "Mr. Chevedden petition the agency requesting a defect investigation that would resultin the retrofitting of a low cost gas tank guard on all 1973-87 Chevrolet and GMC CK pickup trucks to prevent fires in a side impact..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time. Related CHEVROLET files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.