Investigations
HALFSHAFT FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE88034 - closed, opened 1988-03-18.
NHTSA investigation PE88034 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 1988-03-18 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1988-09-19 - 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 PE88034 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: THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH EITHER A 2.3 LITER 4 CYLINDER ENGINE OR A 2.0 LITER DIESEL ENGINE. THE TRANSAXLE MAY BE EITHER A 5 SPEED MANUAL OR A 3 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE HALFSHAFT ASSEMB..." 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: THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH EITHER A 2.3 LITER 4 CYLINDER ENGINE OR A 2.0 LITER DIESEL ENGINE. THE TRANSAXLE MAY BE EITHER A 5 SPEED MANUAL OR A 3 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE HALFSHAFT ASSEMBLIES ARE IDENTICAL FOR AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL USE, BUT THE RIGHT INTERCONNECTING SHAFT ON A DIESEL EQUIPPED VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A TORSIONAL DAMPER. THE 1987 MODEL VEHICLES (GAS OR DIESEL) DO NOT USE THE TORSIONAL DAMPER. THE RIGHT SIDE INTERCONNECTING SHAFT IS LONGER THAN THE LEFT SIDE SHAFT (25 INCHES VERSUS 12 INCHES). MOST OF THE REPORTED FAILURES INVOLVE THE RIGHT HALFSHAFT ASSEMBLY. FAILURE OF THE HALFSHAFT APPEARS TO RESULT IN A LOSS OF DRIVE WITHOUT ANY LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. #===
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.