Investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA86020 - closed, opened 1986-07-02.
NHTSA investigation EA86020 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 1986-07-02 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1987-05-20 - 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 EA86020 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 OF INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER: AMC HAS DETERMINED THAT1983 AND 1984 ALLIANCE AND ENCORE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MULTI POINT FUELINJECTION(MPFI) HAVE DEFECTIVE FUEL HOSES THAT COULD CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE.THES..." 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 OF INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER: AMC HAS DETERMINED THAT1983 AND 1984 ALLIANCE AND ENCORE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MULTI POINT FUELINJECTION(MPFI) HAVE DEFECTIVE FUEL HOSES THAT COULD CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE.THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT FOR CALIF. CERTIFICATION. VEHICLE POP. 15,078.ANALYSIS: THE COMPLAINT REPORTS SHOW AN OVER INVOLVEMENT OF MPFI VEHICLES.TWELVE OF THE THIRTEEN REPORTED ENGINE FIRES ARE ON CALIF. VEHICLES . ANINDEP. INVESTIGATOR FOUND DEFECTIVE FUEL HOSES ON THREE BURNED VEHICLES.STATUS: AMC SENT NOTICE OF RECALL TO ODI ON APR 9, 1987. (RECEIVED 4/14)ALL 15,078 ALLIANCE AND ENCORE VEHICLES (MY83 AND 84) WITH MPFI WILL BEREFITTED WITH NEW FUEL HOSES AND CLAMPS. RECALL NUMBER 87V-049.PROPOSED ACTION: RECALL IS CONSISTENT WITH THE POPULATION AND THE DEFECT. RECOMMEND CLOSING INVESTIGATION.===
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.