Investigations
PASSENGER ENTRAPMENT
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE87002 - closed, opened 1986-10-22.
NHTSA investigation PE87002 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 1986-10-22 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1987-03-02 - 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 PE87002 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: THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED 27DEALER ORIGINATED FIELD REPORTS CONCERNING NECESSARY REPAIRS TO CORRECTCUSTOMER COMPLAINTS OF ERRATIC DOORLOCK OPERATION.A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN..." 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: THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED 27DEALER ORIGINATED FIELD REPORTS CONCERNING NECESSARY REPAIRS TO CORRECTCUSTOMER COMPLAINTS OF ERRATIC DOORLOCK OPERATION.A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED IN MAY 1982 DESCRIBING A NEW DOORLOCK CONTROL BOX AND A NEW DRIVER'S DOOR ACTUATOR WHICH WERE INCORPORATEDIN PRODUCTION BEGINNING MID-OCTOBER 1981. A SECOND BULLETIN WAS ISSUEDIN NOVEMBER 1984 WHICH ANNOUNCED THAT THE 1985 MODEL WOULD BE EQUIPPEDWITH "CENTRALIZED" DOOR LOCKS. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE PEUGEOTVEHICLE WAS DESIGNED WITH A MANUAL OVERRIDE IN CASE OF FAILURE OF THE POWERDOOR LOCKS AND STATED THAT THERE IS NO INDICATION OF A DEFECT TREND.ANALYSIS: THE STATEMENT BY PEUGEOT ABOUT THE DESIGN OF THE MANUAL OVER-RIDE CAPABILITY IS CORRECT. A REVIEW OF THE VARIOUS FIELD REPORTSPROVIDED BY PEUGEOT INDICATES THAT, IN SPITE OF THE MANUAL OVERRIDE, THELOCKS MAY JAM. WITH A FULLY CHARGED BATTERY, THE DOOR LOCKS OPERATENORMALLY. WITH A DEAD OR FULLY DISCHARGED BATTERY, THE POWER DOOR LOCKSDO NOT OPERATE AT ALL. IN THIS SITUATION, THE MANUAL OVERRIDEPERMITS THE DOOR TO BE OPENED. A PARTIALLY DISCHARGED BATTERY WITH AVOLTAGE READING OF APPROXIMATELY 9.5 VOLTS PERMITS THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKMECHANISM TO PARTIALLY CYCLE AND JAM THE LOCKS, PREVENTING EXIT FROM THEVEHICLE. THERE ARE NO REPORTED ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES RESULTING FROMMALFUNCTIONING DOOR LATCHES IN THIS OR ANY OTHER VEHICLE.PROPOSED ACTION: BECAUSE THE DEFECT DOES NOT REPRESENT AN UNREASONABLESAFETY RISK TO THE MOTORING PUBLIC, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THIS PRELIMINARYEVALUATION BE CLOSED. === DB @
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.