NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Engineering Analysis EA87-023: SEAT TRACKS
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA87-023 on September 24, 1987 and closed it on November 16, 1989. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx for it and links recall 89V-170 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EA87-023 (also written EA87023)
- 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 November 16, 1989
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Component
- Seats
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 89V-170 (NHTSA record)
- Vehicles and equipment
- Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA87-023.
SUMMARY: A FRACTURED FRONT SEAT TRACK RECEIVED FROM AN ESCORT OWNER SHOWSTHAT METAL FATIGUE OCCURRED WHICH COULD CAUSE PARTIAL MOVEMENT OF THE SEAT.ANOTHER OWNER SENT PICTURES SHOWING FRACTURE AT THE SAME LOCATION. TENOF THE EIGHTEEN ODI COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN THE PAST FOUR MONTHS.MANUFACTURER INFORMATION: FORD MADE TWO SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATIONS TO THESEAT TRACK; ONE INCORPORATED A DOUBLE LATCH SYSTEM, LOCKING BOTH THE IN-BOARD AND OUTBOARD TRACK ASSEMBLIES, AND THE OTHER ADDED WEB DEPTH IN THEFRONT AND REAR OF THE SEAT TRACK.FORD PROVIDED A TOTAL OF 1,741 WARRANTY CLAIMS CONCERNING SEAT TRACKFAILURE ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THEY BELIEVE THAT FRACTURE OF THE SEAT TRACK CAUSES A LIMITED ROCKINGMOTION AND IS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM.PROPOSED ACTION: IR TO FORD SENT 10/9/87.
TEST REQUEST SENT TO ETF10/21/87.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA87-023. 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
All Ford recallsMercury
Mercury Lynx
- 1985, 1986
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 EA87-023
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.