Investigations
EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE87043 - closed, opened 1987-08-07.
NHTSA investigation PE87043 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 1987-08-07 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1988-01-14 - 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 PE87043 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: ANALYSIS OF THE 65 COMPLAINTSFORWARDED BY GM ON THIS ISSUE REVEALS THAT 15 OF THE COMPLAINTS MAY BESAFETY RELATED. COMPLAINTS IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM AS A "RED HOT EXHAUSTSYSTEM"..." 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: ANALYSIS OF THE 65 COMPLAINTSFORWARDED BY GM ON THIS ISSUE REVEALS THAT 15 OF THE COMPLAINTS MAY BESAFETY RELATED. COMPLAINTS IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM AS A "RED HOT EXHAUSTSYSTEM" OR MUFFLER FAILURE WERE NOT COUNTED. GM ALSO INCLUDED NUMEROUSCOMPLAINTS PERTAINING TO FUEL EXPULSION IN THE MOTOR HOME CHASSIS. THEYWERE NOT COUNTED SINCE THAT PROBLEM IS ALREADY UNDER INVESTIGATION.CONCERNING BRUSH FIRES RESULTING FROM THE HIGH EXHAUST TEMPERATURES, GMSTATES "OUR FIELD EXPERIENCE, AS EVIDENCED BY THE LOW NUMBER OF REPORTSPERTAINING TO THE EXHAUST TEMPERATURE, INDICATES TO US THAT OUR CUSTOMERSARE OBSERVING THE PRECAUTIONS CONTAINED IN OUR OWNER'S MANUAL AND AREEXERCISING THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS."ANALYSIS: THE ALLEGED DEFECT ORIGINATES WITH THE GENERATION OF HEAT IN THEEXHAUST SYSTEM. HIGHER EXHAUST TEMPERATURES ARE OCCURRING AS A RESULT OFSTRINGENT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) REQUIREMENTS WHICH WENTINTO EFFECT IN 1985 FOR VEHICLES WITH A GVW IN EXCESS OF 8,500 LBS. THEHIGHER EXHAUST TEMPERATURES CAN LEAD TO EXCESSIVE UNDERBODY TEMPERATURESWHICH MAY RESULT IN FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURIZATION AND A HIGHER POTENTIAL FORTHE EXPULSION OF LIQUID FUEL UPON REMOVAL OF THE FUEL TANK FILLER CAP. INADDITION, OTHER SIDE EFFECTS SUCH AS SMOLDERING ITEMS IN PICK UP BEDS,BURNT TIRES AND MUDFLAPS HAVE BEEN REPORTED.PROPOSED ACTION: UPGRADE THIS PE TO AN EA. SINCE SOME MODELS ARE ALREADYBEING INVESTIGATED, AND COMPLAINT DATA IS SPARSE ON OTHER MODELS, THE NEWEA SHOULD BE DIRECTED ONLY TO VEHICLE MODELS "C" AND "K" WHICH UTILIZE THEHEAVY DUTY (VEHICLES WITH A GVW IN EXCESS OF 8,500 LBS) EMISSION SYSTEM.===
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.