Investigations
THROTTLE STICKS ON FLOOR PLATE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE09047 - closed, opened 2009-09-30.
NHTSA investigation PE09047 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2009-09-30 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2010-01-04 - 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 PE09047 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: "THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AFTER A FLEET SUPERVISOR SUBMITTED A VOQ ON A MODEL YEAR 2008 THOMAS BUILT "EF" SCHOOL BUS AND REPORTED THAT "THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL STICK AND WON'T RELEASE." THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED ON ON..." 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
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AFTER A FLEET SUPERVISOR SUBMITTED A VOQ ON A MODEL YEAR 2008 THOMAS BUILT "EF" SCHOOL BUS AND REPORTED THAT "THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL STICK AND WON'T RELEASE." THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED ON ONE OF THE FLEET BUSES AND THE DRIVER HAD TO FREE THE PEDAL BY HAND. ODI CONDUCTED A FIELD VISIT AND CONFIRMED BY INSPECTION THAT PUSHING AT THE PEDAL'S BASE (POSITION NEAREST THE DRIVER) WOULD SOMETIMES ALLOW IT TO STICK AT THE METAL SCUFF PLATE (ON THE FLOOR) WITHOUT RELEASING. A SECOND FLEET WAS CONTACTED AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ODI CONVEYED ITS FIELD FINDINGS TO DAIMLER IN LATE NOVEMBER 2009 AND THEY FILED A SAFETY RECALL (09V-462) ON DECEMBER 1, 2009 OUTLINING THEIR REMEDY PROGRAM. DAIMLER WILL RAISE THE MOUNTING POSITION OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL 0.75 INCHES TO RESOLVE THE CLEARANCE ISSUE. DAIMLER IS RECALLING THE SUBJECT VEHICLES PLUS MODEL YEAR 2011. THE ACTION TAKEN BY DAIMLER (THOMAS BUILT) RESOLVES THIS INVESTIGATION. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
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.