NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Engineering Analysis EA86-021: ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA86-021 on July 18, 1986 and closed it on May 8, 1990. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1984 Pontiac Fiero for it and links recall 87V-181 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EA86-021 (also written EA86021)
- Investigation type
- Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
- Status
- Closed May 8, 1990
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- General Motors, LLC
- Component
- Engine and Engine Cooling
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 87V-181 (NHTSA record)
- Vehicles and equipment
- 1984 Pontiac Fiero
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA86-021.
SUMMARY: AMONG 135 COMPLAINTS, 122 FIRES OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING. POSSIBLECAUSES INCLUDE 13 DUE TO COOLANT LEAKS, 16 FROM FUEL LEAKS, 8 CAUSED BYBATTERY CABLE RUBBING ON ENGINE BLOCK,26 DUE TO OIL LEAKS RESULTINGFROM CONNECTING ROD FAILURE, 12 FROM ELECTRICAL WIRE SHORTS, AND 59 UN-IDENTIFIED.AS OF 12/14/87, 238 FIRE REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.STATUS:TEST REQUEST SENT TO ETF 12/11/86. FIRST IR SENT 8/28/86,RESPONSE DATED 10/30/86. SECOND IR SENT 12/11/86, PARTIAL IR RESPONSEDATED 2/5/87.
REMAINDER OF RESPONSE DATED 5/12/87. RECALL REQUESTSENT TO GM ON 9/8/87.
GM RESPONDED WITH RECALL 87V-181 ON 11/25/87.
NHTSA INTENDS TO INITIATE AN AUDIT OF THIS RECALL IN THE FALL OF 1988.===
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA86-021. 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.
Pontiac
Pontiac Fiero
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.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for EA86-021
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.