Investigations
LOWER CONTROL ARM
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA88007 - closed, opened 1987-11-06.
NHTSA investigation EA88007 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 1987-11-06 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1988-10-24 - 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 EA88007 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 MANUFACTURER: MANUFACTURER IS IN RECEIPT OFONE COMPLAINT AND FIVE FIELD REPORTS. PRODUCT REPORT ANALYSIS STATES "THELOWER CONTROL ARM FROM WAGGONER CORPORATION APPEARS TO HAVE A SMALL RADIUSAT..." 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 MANUFACTURER: MANUFACTURER IS IN RECEIPT OFONE COMPLAINT AND FIVE FIELD REPORTS. PRODUCT REPORT ANALYSIS STATES "THELOWER CONTROL ARM FROM WAGGONER CORPORATION APPEARS TO HAVE A SMALL RADIUSAT THE TRANSITION OF THE SIDE WALL TO THE BALL STUD NOSE. CURRENT STAMPINGSOURCE, S.K.D., ALSO HAS A SMALL RADIUS IN THE SAME AREA. S.K.D. HASCHANGED THE TRIM TO INCREASE THE RADIUS TO 1 INCH AND PROVIDE ADDITIONALSTRENGTH IN THE BALL STUD AREA."ANALYSIS: FAILURE DATA INDICATES THE LEFT CONTROL ARM AND DIESEL ENGINEAPPLICATION ARE OVER REPRESENTED. ALL KNOWN FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED AT LOWSPEEDS, OR HAVE BEEN LOCATED AS A RESULT OF AN INCREASE IN THE FREQUENCY OFMAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS. BALL JOINT SEPARATION COULD RESULT IN COLLAPSE OFFRONT WHEEL SUSPENSION AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.ACTION: IR TO GM SENT 11/19/87 CONTACT FLEET OWNERS.===
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.