Investigations
STEERING CONTROL
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA87014 - closed, opened 1987-03-24.
NHTSA investigation EA87014 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 1987-03-24 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 EA87014 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: "ANALYSIS: CLASSIC TIFFANY VEHICLES ARE GREATLY MODIFIED OR ALTERED FORDCOUGAR VEHICLES AND REPRESENT AN EXTREMELY LOW PRODUCTION VOLUME. IN THEAREA OF CONCERN IN THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS, THE MODIFICATION CONSISTS OFWEL..." 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
ANALYSIS: CLASSIC TIFFANY VEHICLES ARE GREATLY MODIFIED OR ALTERED FORDCOUGAR VEHICLES AND REPRESENT AN EXTREMELY LOW PRODUCTION VOLUME. IN THEAREA OF CONCERN IN THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS, THE MODIFICATION CONSISTS OFWELDING A LENGTHENED STEEL UNDERCARRIAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE BODY ANDCHASSIS TO EXTEND THE WHEELBASE BY 38 INCHES. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVETHE STEERING EXTENDED BY MEANS OF AN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT SUPPORTED BY TWOPILLOW BLOCKS AND JOINED TO THE ORIGINAL STEERING SHAFT BY A UNIVERSALJOINT.CLASSIC'S RESPONSE TO THE SPECIAL ORDER DISCLOSED THAT A CONSULTING ENGIN-EER HAD BEEN ENGAGED TO ANALYZE THE STEERING SYSTEM PROBLEMS AND SUGGESTCORRECTIONS. HIS TEST REPORT DISCLOSED THAT THE "CYCLIC STEERING WHEELTORQUE VARIATIONS" WERE "ENTIRELY DUE TO IMPROPERLY PHASED AND SUPPORTEDUNIVERSAL JOINT." THE ENGINEER REPORTED THAT THE STEERING EFFORTFLUCTUATIONS VARIED BETWEEN 200% AND 300%, MAXIMUM TO MINIMUM RATIO WITHPEAKS AND VALLEYS BEING DISPOSED 90 DEGREES. HE CONCLUDED THAT THE SOLECAUSE OF THE FLUCTUATIONS WAS THE RANDOM INSTALLATION OF FOUR UNIVERSALJOINTS COMPOUNDED BY SUPPORT BEARINGS INSTALLED ON SHAFTING THAT SHOULD NOTHAVE BEEN RESTRAINED. HE RECOMMENDED THE USE OF A FLEXIBLE STEERING SHAFTINSTEAD OF THE UNIVERSAL JOINTS TO ACHIEVE A UNIFORM STEERING TORQUETHROUGHOUT 360 DEGREES OF ROTATION.HIS REPORT SHOWED THAT HE HAD INTRODUCED SEVERE, COMBINED TORSIONAL ANDBENDING LOADS ON THE VEHICLE CHASSIS AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO MEASURE-ABLE CHANGE IN THE CYCLIC TORSIONAL EFFORT VARIATION.IN ADDITION TO THE RECOMMENDED USE OF A FLEXIBLE STEERING SHAFT, THEENGINEER RECOMMENDED THE INCORPORATION OF A MANIFOLD HEAT SHIELD TOMINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF HEAT RADIATED INTO THE STEERING COMPONENTS. HEALSO RECOMMENDED INSTITUTION OF AN ACCELERATED DURABILITY TEST OF THESYSTEM.THE ENGINEER'S FINDING SATISFIES ODI'S CONCERN THAT TORSIONAL AND BENDINGLOADS MIGHT ADVERSELY AFFECT VEHICLE STEERING.STATUS: THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS WAS CLOSED ON MAY 20, 1987.===
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.