NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE87-042: EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE87-042 on August 7, 1987 and closed it on November 9, 1987. NHTSA's investigations file lists 5 Dodge models for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE87-042 (also written PE87042)
- 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 November 9, 1987
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Component
- Vehicle Speed Control — Linkages
- Vehicles and equipment
- 5 Dodge models, including the B250 and D250
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 PE87-042.
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:HIGH UNDERHOOD AND EXHAUSTTEMPERATURES ARE A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CONCERN INVOLVING A VERY LIMITEDNUMBER OF VEHICLES OPERATED BY A FEW SEVERE SERVICE FLEET LOCATIONS.WEARE NOT AWARE OF ANY ACCIDENTS OR FIRES CAUSED BY THE CONDITION, AND WE DONOT CONSIDER IT TO PRESENT A RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY.ANALYSIS:EPA REQUIREMENTS FOR HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES CAUSED EMISSION SYSTEMCHANGES FOR THE 1985 AND 1987 CALENDAR YEARS.BEGINNING IN 1985 DUAL AIRPUMPS REPLACED THE SINGLE UNIT, AND DUAL CATALYTIC CONVERTERS WERE ADDED IN1987.
THE CHANGES INCREASED UNDERHOOD AND EXHAUST SYSTEM TEMPERATURES.CONCERNS INCLUDE DRIVEABILITY AND VAPOR LOCK PROBLEMS DUE TO HOT FUELHANDLING AND HEAT DAMAGE TO THE 4 WD DISCONNECT VACUUM RESERVOIR, EXHAUSTSYSTEM HANGERS, SPEEDOMETER CABLE, AND WINDSHIELD WASHER BOTTLE.CURRENTLYMEANS TO REDUCE AND BETTER MANAGE THE TEMPERATURES ARE BEING STUDIED.CONSIDERATIONS ARE: AIR PUMP DIVERTER SYSTEMS, HEAT SHIELD FOR AFFECTEDUNDER BODY COMPONENTS, AND REROUTING FUEL SUPPLY LINES AWAY FROM HEATSOURCES.ADDITIONALLY FIVE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUEDREGARDING VAPOR LOCK ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.PROPOSED ACTION:CLOSE THIS PE.NO SAFETY RELATED DEFECT HAS BEENDETECTED.===
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE87-042. 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.
Dodge VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE87-042
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.