NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE88-006: FIRES
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE88-006 on November 30, 1987 and closed it on April 19, 1988. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1987 Ford Aerostar for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE88-006 (also written PE88006)
- 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 April 19, 1988
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Component
- Vehicle Speed Control — Linkages
- Vehicles and equipment
- 1987 Ford Aerostar
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 PE88-006.
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:INFORMATION PROVIDED BY FORDDISCLOSED 8 OWNER AND FIELD REPORTS OF 10 FIRES IN THE LEFT D-PILLAR AREAOF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.NO COLLISION ACCIDENTS WERE REPORTED, BUT EACHINCIDENT INVOLVED PROPERTY DAMAGE DUE TO FIRE.IN ADDITION, FORD'S RECORDSINCLUDE AT LEAST 62 WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR TRAILER LIGHT RELAY ASSEMBLY SHORT/BURNED OUT.FORD ALSO PROVIDED AN UNSIGNED COPY OF AN INVESTIGATION DOCUMENT RELATEDTO SIX OF THE COMPLAINTS SUBMITTED.THE DOCUMENT INCLUDES THE ANNOTATIONB&C E, 10/16/87, APPARENTLY REFERRING TO BODY AND CHASSIS ENGINEERING,AND INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS AND FINDINGS: -VEHICLE WATER TESTS AT ST LOUIS ASSEMBLY PLANT INDICATE WATERINTRUSION DOES OCCUR IN THE D-PILLAR AREA AROUND THE FIXED GLASS.BODY SEALING RELEASED BUTYL TAPE (7/86) AND D-PILLAR BAFFLE (8/86). -ROOT CAUSE-TBD -SHORT TERM RESOLUTION INVOLVES COVERING THE RELAY ASSEMBLY WITH APLASTIC, FIRE-RETARDANT BAG.TRW (SUPPLIER) WILL INSTALL THE BAG ANDSHIP THE PRODUCT TO THE ASSEMBLY PLANT.A PERMANENT RESOLUTION WASNOTED TO INVOLVE DEVELOPMENT OF A CLOSED HOUSING DESIGNED FOR WATERINSENSITIVITY.TRW IS REPORTEDLY PURSUING SUCH A DESIGN WITH ANESTIMATED 9-12 MONTH LEAD TIME.ANALYSIS:THE RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF OWNER COMPLAINTS/SERVICE REPORTSIS OFFSET BY THE UNIQUE LOCATION AND EQUIPMENT APPARENTLY INVOLVED IN THEINCIDENTS.THERE IS ALSO EVIDENCE VIA THE WARRANTY REPORT DATA THAT THENUMBER OF ACTUAL FIRE OCCURRENCES MAY BE APPROACHING 100.
THERE IS ALSOEVIDENCE THAT FORD IS PURSUING A MODIFICATION OF THE TOW EQUIPMENTELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY AND/ OR PACKAGING.NONETHELESS, FORD STATED ...THEREWERE NO SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATIONS OR COMPONENT CHANGES.....THAT COULDRELATE TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.IT APPEARS THAT SUCH A MODIFICATION MAY BECURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT.===
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE88-006. 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 Aerostar
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 PE88-006
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.