Investigations
UNWANTED VEHICLE ACCEL
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA85043 - closed, opened 1985-08-21.
NHTSA investigation EA85043 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 1985-08-21 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1987-07-21 - 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 EA85043 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: "SUMMARY: MANUFACTURER CLAIMS MOST REPORTS ARE A "SHIFT-FLARE" CONDITION OFHIGHER ENGINE SPEEDS DURING THE NO-LOAD SHIFTING TIME INTERVAL. THIS CLAIMDOES NOT APPEAR TO BE SUBSTANTIATED BY THE REPORTS. REPORTS DO NOT FOLLO..." 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
SUMMARY: MANUFACTURER CLAIMS MOST REPORTS ARE A "SHIFT-FLARE" CONDITION OFHIGHER ENGINE SPEEDS DURING THE NO-LOAD SHIFTING TIME INTERVAL. THIS CLAIMDOES NOT APPEAR TO BE SUBSTANTIATED BY THE REPORTS. REPORTS DO NOT FOLLOWTHE TYPICAL SCENARIO OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURING WHEN THE VEHICLE ISPLACED INTO A DRIVING MODE. MANY REPORTS OCCUR WHEN SHIFTING INTO ANY GEARAT ANY SPEED. ALSO SOME REPORTS OF SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE.ANALYSIS: ALTHOUGH THERE APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW IN THE SPEED CONTROLLOOP, MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS OCCUR AT SPEEDS WHICH ALLOW TRANSMISSION DIS-ENGAGEMENT. IN ADDITION, THIS TENDS TO BE AN INTERMITTENT TYPE OF FAILUREWHICH IS HARD TO TRACE TO A SINGLE SOURCE/CAUSE/COMPONENT, ALTHOUGH THE ISAMOTOR HAS BEEN CITED BY SEVERAL OF THE CONSUMERS AND FIELD REPRESENTATIVES.STATUS: C-MEMO DRAFT FORWARDED TO (H) 6/16/87.===
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.