NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE13-011: Delayed Throttle Response
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE13-011 on April 26, 2013 and closed it on December 9, 2013. NHTSA's investigations file lists 5 Autocar models for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE13-011 (also written PE13011)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed December 9, 2013
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Autocar, LLC
- Component
- Fuel System, Other — Delivery
- Vehicles and equipment
- 5 Autocar models, including the Xpeditor and Actt
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 Preliminary Evaluation PE13-011.
This investigation was opened based on a fleet complaint alleging delayed throttle response which could potentially lead to extended stopping distances and/or increase the risk of a crash.
Autocar responded to ODI's Information Request (IR) letter and provided test data including its FMVSS 124 validation data.
ODI reviewed Autocar's testing procedures and results with NHTSA's Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance and Office of Rule Making.
The test procedure was acceptable as were the results.
In an effort to further quantify the safety risk, ODI surveyed nine fleets operating the same subject vehicles.
Of the eight reporting fleets, only one expressed concerns similar to the fleet submitting the VOQ.Of all the fleets contacted, none had experienced a crash where the throttle delay was a contributing factor.
Autocar provided a modified direct wire throttle to the initial fleet as a customer satisfaction campaign.
This configuration resulted in an improved throttle response.
In light of the low rate of delayed throttle response on the subject vehicles and Autocar's actions to improve the throttle response on the complaint vehicles, further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.
The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists.
The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
The ODI complaint cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID using the following (ODI) number: 10471829
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE13-011. 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.
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 PE13-011
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.