NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE87-020: ENG. AND UNDER DASH FIRES
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE87-020 on February 6, 1987 and closed it on May 26, 1987. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1984–1986 Ford Bronco II for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE87-020 (also written PE87020)
- 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 May 26, 1987
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Component
- Vehicle Speed Control — Linkages
- Vehicles and equipment
- 1984–1986 Ford Bronco II
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 PE87-020.
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:INSTANCES WERE FOUND WHERESPRING LOCK COUPLINGS FAILED CAUSING GASOLINE TO BE RELEASED THROUGHOUT THEENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUSING FIRES.FAILURE OF THE COUPLINGS CAN TAKE PLACEAFTER COMPLIANCE WITH A FORD RECALL CAMPAIGN, ON NEWLY DELIVERED VEHICLESFROM THE FACTORY WITH MINIMAL MILEAGE ON THE ODOMETER, AND AT ANY VEHICLEMILEAGE.___________________________________________________________________________ANALYSIS:DATA INDICATES THAT THE ALLEGED PROBLEM MAY BE CAUSED BY THESPRING LOCK QUICK CONNECT COUPLINGS WHICH CONNECT THE FUEL SUPPLY ANDRETURN LINES TO THE ENGINE AS WELL AS FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE FUEL LINES.___________________________________________________________________________PROPOSED ACTION:UPGRADE THIS PE TO AN EA.(EA87-020)===
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE87-020. 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 Bronco II
- 1984, 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.
Ford VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE87-020
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.