Investigations
INADEQUATE REAR BRAKES
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE86053 - closed, opened 1986-05-01.
NHTSA investigation PE86053 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 1986-05-01 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1987-01-20 - 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 PE86053 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: "SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER: NO TSB'S OR RECALLS HAVE BEENISSUED ON THIS MATTER. THE 1985 CAMIP PHASE II SURVEY RATED THE GM M-VANBRAKE EFFECTIVENESS LOWEST AMONG VEHICLE LINES TESTED. IN RESPONSE TO THECONC..." 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: NO TSB'S OR RECALLS HAVE BEENISSUED ON THIS MATTER. THE 1985 CAMIP PHASE II SURVEY RATED THE GM M-VANBRAKE EFFECTIVENESS LOWEST AMONG VEHICLE LINES TESTED. IN RESPONSE TO THECONCERN OF VAN OWNERS, CHANGES IN THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDER DIAMETER AND THEPROPORTIONING VALVE WERE PLANNED FOR THE 1987 MODEL M-VANS.ANALYSIS: THE PROPOSED MANUFACTURER CHANGES WILL REDUCE THE FRONT-BIAS OFTHE BRAKE SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT GM WILL RETROFITTHE 1985 AND 1986 MODELS. OVER THE NINE MONTHS SINCE THE PE WAS OPENED,THE NUMBER OF ODI REPORTS HAS INCREASED BY 300%. THESE REPORTS INDICATETHAT THE PROBLEM MAY NOT BE AN OVERLY FRONT-BIASED BRAKING SYSTEM, BUTTED M-VAN'SBRAKE ADJUSTER WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY, ALLOWING THE LEFT REAR WHEEL TOROTATE, EVEN WITH 200 POUNDS APPLIED PEDAL FORCE. THE VEHICLE DID "PASS"MODIFIED COMPLIANCE TESTS FOR BRAKE STOPPING DISTANCES.PROPOSED ACTION: TO UPGRADE THIS TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS.===
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.