Investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA86021 - closed, opened 1986-07-18.
NHTSA investigation EA86021 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 1986-07-18 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1990-05-08 - 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 EA86021 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: AMONG 135 COMPLAINTS, 122 FIRES OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING. POSSIBLECAUSES INCLUDE 13 DUE TO COOLANT LEAKS, 16 FROM FUEL LEAKS, 8 CAUSED BYBATTERY CABLE RUBBING ON ENGINE BLOCK, 26 DUE TO OIL LEAKS RESULTINGFROM CON..." 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: AMONG 135 COMPLAINTS, 122 FIRES OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING. POSSIBLECAUSES INCLUDE 13 DUE TO COOLANT LEAKS, 16 FROM FUEL LEAKS, 8 CAUSED BYBATTERY CABLE RUBBING ON ENGINE BLOCK, 26 DUE TO OIL LEAKS RESULTINGFROM CONNECTING ROD FAILURE, 12 FROM ELECTRICAL WIRE SHORTS, AND 59 UN-IDENTIFIED. AS OF 12/14/87, 238 FIRE REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.STATUS: TEST REQUEST SENT TO ETF 12/11/86. FIRST IR SENT 8/28/86,RESPONSE DATED 10/30/86. SECOND IR SENT 12/11/86, PARTIAL IR RESPONSEDATED 2/5/87. REMAINDER OF RESPONSE DATED 5/12/87. RECALL REQUESTSENT TO GM ON 9/8/87. GM RESPONDED WITH RECALL 87V-181 ON 11/25/87.NHTSA INTENDS TO INITIATE AN AUDIT OF THIS RECALL IN THE FALL OF 1988.===
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.