REMEDY FAILURES OF RECALL 98V-184

THE PETITIONER, PHILIP MCBROOM, ALLEGES THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK IN THE FUEL RAIL, AND OR FUEL O-RINGS, WHICH CAUSED AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. THIS EVENT OCCURRED AFTER THE RECALL (98V-184) REMEDY WAS PERFORMED ON HIS VEHICLE. HE HAS PETITIONED THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THE REMEDY ADEQUACY OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-184. ON AUGUST 10, 1998, DAIMLERCHRYSLER NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WOULD RECALL APPROXIMATELY 722,600 VEHICLES BUILT WITH 3.5L V6 ENGINES, INCLUDING THE 1997 INTREPID. DAIMLERCHRYSLER REPORTED THAT A FUEL LEAK COULD RESULT FROM DETERIORATED O-RINGS OR HAIRLINE CRACKS IN THE PLASTIC FUEL RAILS. FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATONS, RQ98-018 AND RP00-001, ESTABLISHED THAT POST REPAIR LEAKAGE COMPLAINTS WOULD LEVEL OFF TO APPROXIMATELY 20 PER YEAR AND MOST ARE NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL REMEDY. SINCE THESE INVESTIGATIONS, THERE HAS BEEN NO NEW INFORMATION THAT WOULD INDICATE ANY BASIS FOR INITIATING A NEW INVESTIGATION. FOR THE FOREGOING REASONS, FURTHER EXPENDITURE OF THE AGENCY'S INVESTIGATIVE RESOURCES ON THE ISSUES RAISED BY THE PETITION DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED AND THE PETITION IS DENIED. FOR DETAILS, SEE FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 69, NO. 111 (JUNE 9, 2004).