Investigations
ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR FAILURE (ETC)
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE03044 - closed, opened 2003-09-26.
NHTSA investigation PE03044 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2003-09-26 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2004-02-18 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE03044 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "THE SUBJECT VEHICLES FOR THIS INVESTIGATION INCLUDE MODEL YEAR 2002 AND 2003 EXCURSION AND F SUPER DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 7.3L DIESEL ENGINES AND AN OPTIONAL POWER ADJUSTABLE PEDAL (PAP) FEATURE. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES..." 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
THE SUBJECT VEHICLES FOR THIS INVESTIGATION INCLUDE MODEL YEAR 2002 AND 2003 EXCURSION AND F SUPER DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 7.3L DIESEL ENGINES AND AN OPTIONAL POWER ADJUSTABLE PEDAL (PAP) FEATURE. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES UTILIZE AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL (ETC) SYSTEM TO CONTROL ENGINE SPEED AND POWER. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR OF THE ETC SYSTEM WAS REPLACED UNDER FORD'S FIELD SERVICE ACTION (FSA) 03B03 (ANNOUNCED IN FEBRUARY 2003) DUE TO CONCERNS THAT IT MAY NOT OPERATE AS DESIGNED AND AS A RESULT, MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO IDLE OR UNEXPECTEDLY SLOW WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS APPLIED. CERTAIN COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY INFORMATION RELATED TO THE VEHICLES INVOLVED IN FSA 03B03 HAS NOT BEEN PROVIDED BY FORD, AS DISCUSSED IN DETAIL IN FORD'S RESPONSE LETTER (DATED DECEMBER 2, 2003) TO ODI'S PRELIMINARY EVALUATION INFORMATION REQUEST. THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, WHICH IS REQUIRED TO ADEQUATELY ASSESS THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT, WILL BE OBTAINED AND ANALYZED DURING THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS PHASE OF THE INVESTIGATION. THE MANUFACTURER FAILURE REPORT COUNTS WILL BE DETERMINED AT THAT TIME.
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
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.