Investigations
SUDDEN ACCELERATION
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA88026 — closed, opened 1988-03-08 and involving the STERLING STERLING.
NHTSA investigation EA88026 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 1988-03-08 and currently closed. The subject of record is STERLING STERLING, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for STERLING. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1991-01-10 — 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 EA88026 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: UNDER DP88-005 AMERICAN HONDAPROVIDED THE STATISTICS GIVEN ABOVE. HONDA ALSO VERIFIED THAT THE POWER-TRAIN INSTALLED IN THE ACCURA LEGEND IS ALSO SOLD TO AUSTIN ROVER AND USEDIN..." 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: UNDER DP88-005 AMERICAN HONDAPROVIDED THE STATISTICS GIVEN ABOVE. HONDA ALSO VERIFIED THAT THE POWER-TRAIN INSTALLED IN THE ACCURA LEGEND IS ALSO SOLD TO AUSTIN ROVER AND USEDIN THE STERLING VEHICLE. A NUMBER OF THE COMPLAINTS REPORTED DIRECTLY TOHONDA HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED BY FIELD PERSONNEL, WHO CONSISTENTLY HAVE NOTFOUND ANY APPARENT COMPONENT OR SUBSYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS TO WHICH THEINCIDENTS COULD BE ATTRIBUTED.ANALYSIS: THE RATES OF COMPLAINTS AND ACCIDENTS INVOLVING THE SUBJECTVEHICLES ARE SIGNIFICANT. FURTHER DETAILED REVIEW OF THIS MATTER ISAPPROPRIATE AND SHOULD INCLUDE THE ACQUISITION AND ANALYSIS OF INFORMATIONFROM AUSTIN ROVER REGARDING THE STERLING VEHICLE.STATUS: DETAILED ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION ARE BEING CONDUCTED. INVESTIGA-TION IS CONCENTRATED ON ACURA LEGEND. MEETINGS HAVE BEEN HELD WITH THEMANUFACTURER TO REVIEW AND ANALYZE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS FOR CLUES AS TOORIGIN OF THE PROBLEM. NO COMPONENT FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS HAVE BEENIDENTIFIED AS CAUSAL TO DATE.===
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. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.