NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Defect Petition DP98-001: HEAVY LATERAL VIBRATION

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Defect Petition DP98-001 on January 6, 1998 and closed it on February 4, 1998. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1991–1994 Ford Explorer for it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: DP98-001 (also written DP98001)
Investigation type: Defect Petition A petition asking NHTSA to open a defect investigation; NHTSA grants or denies it, and granting one opens an investigation.
Status: Closed February 4, 1998
Opened: January 6, 1998
Closed: February 4, 1998
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Component: Structure
Vehicles and equipment: 1991–1994 Ford Explorer

A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Defect Petition DP98-001.

try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.

NHTSA WAS PETITIONED TO COMMENCE A DEFECT INVESTIGATION OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ON JANUARY 6, 1998.

THE PETITION ALLEGES THAT EARLY MODEL FORD EXPLORER SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES DEVELOP HEAVY LATERAL VIBRATIONS AT SPEEDS ABOVE 55 MPH AND WHEN ENCOUNTERING BUMPS AT LOW SPEEDS.THE PETITION FURTHER ALLEGES THAT THESE VIBRATIONS COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.THE ANALYSIS OF THE PETITION IS PRESENTED IN THE ATTACHED NOTICE WHICH IS PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Defect Petition DP98-001. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Ford

Ford Explorer
- 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994

All Ford recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Ford VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for DP98-001

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.