Investigations
STEERING MALFUNCTION
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE87051 - closed, opened 1987-08-25 and involving the TOYOTA TOYOTA.
NHTSA investigation PE87051 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 1987-08-25 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 1987-12-09 - 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 PE87051 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: "===REPAIR COST REIMBURSEMENT THAT MIGHT BE MORE FORTHCOMING IF A STEERINGCONTROL PROBLEM WERE ALLEGED. TOYOTA IS CONVINCED THAT NO COMMON FAILUREEXISTS THAT COULD CAUSE A SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL."ANALYSIS: BASED..." 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
===REPAIR COST REIMBURSEMENT THAT MIGHT BE MORE FORTHCOMING IF A STEERINGCONTROL PROBLEM WERE ALLEGED. TOYOTA IS CONVINCED THAT NO COMMON FAILUREEXISTS THAT COULD CAUSE A SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL."ANALYSIS: BASED UPON THE INFORMATION PRESENTED BY CONSUMERS AND TOYOTA,NO COMMON FAILURE MODE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED. THAT IS, THE MONTHS, MILES,AND CALENDAR DATE OF FAILURE DO NOT INDICATE AN INFANT MORTALITY OR AFATIGUE TYPE OF PATTERN. PART SALES DATA PROVIDED BY TOYOTA INDICATES THATTHE STEERING MAIN SHAFT ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN MANUAL STEERING HAD A SALESRATE FOUR TIMES THAT OF ITS' POWER STEERING COUNTERPART. IN ADDITION,SALES DATA INDICATED A REPLACEMENT RATE OF THE MANUAL STEERING SLIDING YOKESUB-ASSEMBLY TO BE TWICE THAT OF ITS' POWER STEERING COUNTERPART. THESALES DATA DOES NOT APPEAR TO INDICATE ANY PARTICULAR PATTERN WITH RESPECTTO A DEFINABLE FAILURE MODE. TOYOTA "CHANGED THE SHAPE" OF THE MAIN ANDINTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND SLIDING YOKES IN 1987 FOR EASE OF ASSEMBLY.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 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.