Investigations
STUCK ENGINE THROTTLE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE05037 — closed, opened 2005-07-07 and involving the MERCURY MOUNTAINEER.
NHTSA investigation PE05037 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2005-07-07 and currently closed. The subject of record is MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for MERCURY. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2005-11-02 — 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 PE05037 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: "ON JULY 7, 2005, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED STUCK THROTTLE COMPLAINTS IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2002 FORD EXPLORER AND MERCURY MOUNTAINEER VEHICLES E..." 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. Related MERCURY files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
ON JULY 7, 2005, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED STUCK THROTTLE COMPLAINTS IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2002 FORD EXPLORER AND MERCURY MOUNTAINEER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE STANDARD AVAILABLE 4.0L SOHC V6 ENGINE. AT THAT TIME, ODI WAS AWARE OF 15 COMPLAINTS THAT ALLEGED STUCK ENGINE THROTTLE CAUSING UNWANTED VEHICLE ACCELERATION AND 1 ALLEGED CRASH AS A RESULT. SIX COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE REPLACEMENT REMEDIED THE ALLEGED STUCK THROTTLE CONDITION. ADDITIONALLY, ODI WAS AWARE OF A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT REFERRED TO AN ACCELERATOR CABLE DESIGN CHANGE. ODI SENT A LETTER TO THE MANUFACTURER ON JULY 18, 2005 REQUESTING CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THESE VEHICLES. ACCORDING TO FORD, APPROXIMATELY 234,092 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT FROM AUGUST 14, 2000 (¿JOB 1¿) THROUGH OCTOBER 31, 2001 USED A PARTICULAR ACCELERATOR CABLE KNOWN AS A 16 LAY WIRE DESIGN. THIS DESIGN IS COMPRISED OF THE THROTTLE CABLE SURROUNDED BY A CONDUIT MADE OF SEVERAL CONCENTRIC LAYERS INCLUDING A TEFLON LINER, A NYLON TUBE EXTRUDED OVER THE TEFLON LINER, 16 LAY WIRES WRAPPED AROUND THE NYLON TUBE, AND FINALLY A NYLON JACKET EXTRUDED OVER AND AROUND THE LAY WIRES. FORD REPORTS THAT THROTTLE CONTROL CONCERNS RELATED TO THE ACCELERATOR CABLE ARE LIKELY CAUSED BY A MIGRATION OF THE INNER TEFLON LINER OUT OF THE CONDUIT AT THE DASH PANEL FITTING. SHOULD THE TEFLON LINER MIGRATE OUTWARD SUFFICIENTLY TO CONTACT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM IT COULD INTERFERE WITH THE PEDAL¿S ABILITY TO RETURN TO IDLE. IN NOVEMBER 2001, FORD BEGAN USING A NEW 12 LAY WIRE DESIGN ACCELERATOR CABLE. THIS CHANGE WAS IMPLEMENTED TO ALLOW FOR INSTALLATION OF OPTIONALLY AVAILABLE POWER-ADJUSTABLE PEDALS. FIELD DATA SUGGESTS THAT THE CONDITION WITH THE SUBJECT CABLE IS MORE PREVALENT IN COLD (WINTER) CLIMATES. OF THE 396 WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT, NEARLY 68% OCCURRED IN WINTER MONTHS AND MOST WARRANTY
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.
Other MERCURY Investigations
Extended Braking Distance
Extended Braking Distance
Loss of headlights
Loss of headlamp/exterior lighting
Loss of Steering Control
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.