Investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE87047 - closed, opened 1987-08-18 and involving the TOYOTA TOYOTA.
NHTSA investigation PE87047 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 1987-08-18 and currently closed. The subject of record is TOYOTA TOYOTA, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for TOYOTA. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1987-12-10 - 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 PE87047 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: AFTER INVESTIGATION, TOYOTA CAN FIND NO COMMON OR SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THE 4 FIRES FROM A VEHICLE POPULATION OF 77,034. WARRANTY CLAIMS ARE INCONCLUSIVE AND PARALLEL VEHICLE SALES.A..." 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 TOYOTA 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: AFTER INVESTIGATION, TOYOTA CAN FIND NO COMMON OR SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THE 4 FIRES FROM A VEHICLE POPULATION OF 77,034. WARRANTY CLAIMS ARE INCONCLUSIVE AND PARALLEL VEHICLE SALES.ANALYSIS: A REVIEW OF THE 2 COMPLAINTS ON THE 1986 MODEL MR2 SPORT COUPE (A RELATIVELY LOW PRODUCTION, SPECIAL INTEREST VEHICLE) DID NOT REVEAL A POTENTIALLY COMMON CAUSE. BOTH VEHICLES WERE OCCUPIED AT THE TIME OF THE FIRES. ONE FIRE WAS NOTICED BECAUSE THE ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES FAILED AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART, MOMENTS LATER SMOKE AND FLAMES ENGULFED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE OWNER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE REPORTS THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT IDLE WHEN HE NOTICED FLAMES OUT OF THE RIGHT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.STATUS: RECOMMEND CLOSING THIS PE AND MONITOR FOR FUTURE EVIDENCE OF AN EMERGING DEFECT TREND. #===
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 TOYOTA Investigations
Brake Actuator Valve Wear
Electrical problems / No-start
Joyson Passenger Side Air Bag Cushion
Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
Brake Actuator Valve Wear
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.