Investigations
FUEL TANK LEAKS
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA03008 - closed, opened 2003-06-11.
NHTSA investigation EA03008 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2003-06-11 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2004-07-28 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
An Engineering Analysis like EA03008 is the deeper technical phase that follows a PE. NHTSA requests design, warranty, and field-failure data from the manufacturer, conducts its own testing when needed, and determines whether the evidence supports a safety defect finding that would compel a recall.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS WAS OPENED ON JUNE 11, 2003, BASED ON 54 REPORTS OF FUEL TANK LEAKS. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE 1993 THROUGH 1996 MODEL YEAR (MY) 850 VEHICLES. MODEL 850 WAS ALSO PRODUCED IN MY 1997 AND WAS INCL..." 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.
Investigation Summary
THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS WAS OPENED ON JUNE 11, 2003, BASED ON 54 REPORTS OF FUEL TANK LEAKS. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE 1993 THROUGH 1996 MODEL YEAR (MY) 850 VEHICLES. MODEL 850 WAS ALSO PRODUCED IN MY 1997 AND WAS INCLUDED IN THIS INVESTIGATION. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA REVEALS TWO DISTINCT ISSUES. FIRST, THE 1994 THROUGH 1997 MY VEHICLES STAND OUT BY ACCOUNTING FOR 95 PERCENT OF THE REPORTED LEAKS. THESE VEHICLES SHARE THE SAME FUEL TANK DESIGN (PN 9142618). THE 1993 MY VEHICLE USES A DIFFERENT FUEL TANK DESIGN (PN 9141101). SECONDLY, THE FAILURES OCCURRED PREDOMINANTLY IN HOT CLIMATES, E.G., CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA, TEXAS, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, LOUISIANA, ETC. TESTING OF FUEL TANKS FROM CONSUMER VEHICLES AT THE VEHICLE RESEARCH AND TEST CENTER CONFIRMED LEAKS THROUGH CRACKS IN THE FUEL TANK WALL AT A HEAT SHIELD MOUNTING ATTACHMENT IN THE 1994 THROUGH 1997 MY FUEL TANKS (PN9142618). DETAILS OF THE TESTS ARE AVAILABLE IN TEST REPORT VRTC-DCD3060. VOLVO WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL ON ALL MY 1994 THROUGH 1997 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING 17 HOT STATES: CA, AZ, NM, TX, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC, FL, NC, TN, AR, OK, UT, NV, AND HI. ALL 1994 THROUGH 1997 MY VEHICLES IN ALL OTHER STATES WILL BE REMEDIED UNDER A SERVICE CAMPAIGN. THE REMEDY FOR BOTH THE RECALL AND SERVICE CAMPAIGN IS TO INSTALL A NEW BUSHING AT EACH HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT POINT (3 PER TANK). ALSO, ALL TANKS (VEHICLES IN ALL STATES) WILL BE INSPECTED FOR FUEL SEEPAGE AT THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT POINTS AND VOLVO WILL REPLACE ANY TANK SHOWING SIGNS OF FUEL SEEPAGE. THE NEW BUSHINGS WILL PREVENT HEAT SHIELD STRESSES FROM BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE THREE HEAT SHIELD MOUNTING ATTACHMENTS ON THE FUEL TANK. THE SAFETY RECALL IS FILED UNDER NHTSA SAFETY RECALL NUMBER 04V368. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
About This Investigation Type
An Engineering Analysis (EA) is the in-depth phase following a Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA engineers conduct testing, collect data from manufacturers, and perform detailed technical analysis to determine whether a safety defect exists. An EA may lead to a voluntary recall by the manufacturer or, in rare cases, a mandatory recall order.
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.