Investigations
SUDDEN ACCELERATION
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE87001 - closed, opened 1986-10-02 and involving the MERCEDES-BENZ.
Vehicle: MERCEDES-BENZ
NHTSA investigation PE87001 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 1986-10-02 and currently closed. The subject of record is MERCEDES-BENZ, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for MERCEDES-BENZ. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1987-01-14 - 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 PE87001 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: MERCEDES-BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA(MBNA) REPORTED AN ADDITIONAL 4 CASES OF ALLEGED SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF THESUBJECT VEHICLES IN ADDITION TO THOSE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED TO NHTSA. ALLCA..." 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 MERCEDES-BENZ files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER: MERCEDES-BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA(MBNA) REPORTED AN ADDITIONAL 4 CASES OF ALLEGED SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF THESUBJECT VEHICLES IN ADDITION TO THOSE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED TO NHTSA. ALLCASES WERE INVESTIGATED BY MBNA REPRESENTATIVES, AND NO TRENDS OR NOTABLESIMILARITIES WERE FOUND IN THE APPARENT CAUSES OF THE ALLEGED INCIDENTS.NO GEOGRAPHIC OR VEHICLE MILEAGE TRENDS WERE NOTED AMONG THE INCIDENTSREPORTED. MBNA CONDUCTED TESTS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF OPEN THROTTLE, OPENENGINE IDLE BYPASS VALVE, AND BRAKE APPLICATION UNDER VARYING CONDITIONSOF VEHICLE MOTION ON ASPHALT AND GRASSY SURFACES. THE RESULTS OF THESETESTS WERE PROVIDED TO NHTSA, AND INDICATE THAT THE SERVICE BRAKES WEREFULLY EFFECTIVE IN BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP FROM 30 MPH WITH A FULLYOPEN THROTTLE. IN ADDITION THE TESTS DEMONSTRATED A MAXIMUM ATTAINABLEVEHICLE SPEED OF ABOUT 5 MPH WITH A FULLY OPEN IDLE SPEED AIR VALVE.ANALYSIS: MBNA'S EVALUATIONS OF THE EIGHT VEHICLES REPORTED TO HAVEEXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION INCLUDED UNDERHOOD INSPECTIONS TO IDENTIFYANY APPARENT CAUSES OF THE ALLEGED INCIDENTS; MECHANICAL INTERFERENCE OFCOMPONENTS WAS FOUND IN TWO VEHICLES, NEITHER OF WHICH RELATED TO A DESIGNDEFICIENCY. TESTS PERFORMED BY MBNA DEMONSTRATED THE CAPACITYOF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES TO BE CONTROLLED UNDER CONDITIONS OF HIGH ENGINEIDLE SPEED AND WITH A FULLY OPEN THROTTLE. PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE ASDOCUMENTED BY MBNA'S TESTS, TOGETHER WITH THE LACK OF A STRONG FAILURETREND SUGGESTS THAT FURTHER INVESTIGATIVE EFFORT IS NOT WARRANTED ON THISISSUE.PROPOSED ACTION: CLOSE THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.===
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 MERCEDES-BENZ Investigations
Malfunction Indicator Light / No-Start
C300 Wrist-pin allegation
Vehicle Rolls Away While in Park
Front Roof Panel Detachment
Rear brake line failure
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.