Investigations
REAR BRAKE DRUMS
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE87010 - closed, opened 1986-12-18.
NHTSA investigation PE87010 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 1986-12-18 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1987-08-13 - 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 PE87010 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: EXPERIMENTAL MODIFICATIONSPERFORMED BY ROCKWELL ON THREE VEHICLES INVOLVED INCREASING FRONT CHAMBERSIZE FROM 24 TO 30 INCHES, DECREASING REAR CHAMBERS FROM 36 TO 30 INCHES,CHANGI..." 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: EXPERIMENTAL MODIFICATIONSPERFORMED BY ROCKWELL ON THREE VEHICLES INVOLVED INCREASING FRONT CHAMBERSIZE FROM 24 TO 30 INCHES, DECREASING REAR CHAMBERS FROM 36 TO 30 INCHES,CHANGING THE FRONT DISC BRAKE LININGS AND REAR BRAKES SHOES. IN SERVICEEVALUATION OF THE MODIFICATION REVEALS THAT THE PROBLEM IS APPARENTLYCORRECTED. PIERCE AND ROCKWELL WILL INSPECT THE REMAINING VEHICLES ANDPERFORM THE ABOVE MODIFICATIONS AS DEEMED NECESSARY.ANALYSIS: PROBLEM APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A BRAKE IMBALANCE BETWEEN THE FRONTAND REAR AXLES. FIELD TESTS REVEAL THAT THE ABOVE MODIFICATIONS HAVESOLVED THE PROBLEM BY BETTER BALANCING THE BRAKING ACTION BETWEEN THE TWOAXLES. AFTER THREE MONTHS OF EVALUATION DURING ROUTINE SERVICE OPERATIONS,NO FURTHER FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED ON THE THREE MODIFIED VEHICLES.PROPOSED ACTION: CLOSE THIS PE. PIERCE HAS IMPLEMENTED A RECALL (87V-117)CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM.===
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.