NHTSA safety investigation
NHTSA Investigation DP06005
Defect Petition · Ford Motor Company · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
An investigation is not a finding that a defect exists.
NHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
What NHTSA is examining
The agency's own description of the inquiry, quoted as published
ENGINE STALLING FFV
ON OCTOBER 11, 2006, PUBLIC CITIZEN PETITIONED ODI TO INVESTIGATE REPORTS OF ENGINE STALLS CAUSED BY E85 FUEL IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003 - 2005 FORD TAURUS FLEX-FUEL VEHICLES (FFV). ODI'S REVIEW OF THE PETITION AND OTHER AVAILABLE DATA FOUND A LOW STALL RATE ATTRIBUTABLE TO E-85 FUELING AND THAT THE MAIN CONCERNS,PROLONGED ENGINE START AND ROUGH IDLE DURING COLD ENGINE STARTUP AT WINTER TEMPERATURES, WERE RESOLVED BY AN ENGINE SOFTWARE UPDATE.TO ENSURE THAT ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES RECEIVE THIS UPDATE, FORD INITIATED A NOTIFICATION CAMPAIGN TO OFFER FREE ENGINE COMPUTER RECALIBRATION.BASED ON THIS INFORMATION, THIS DEFECT PETITION IS DENIED. THIS DENIAL SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A FINDING THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS.ODI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO RECONSIDER THIS ISSUE IF FUTURE DATA WARRANT.ADDITIONAL DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE POSTED IN THE DP06-005 PUBLIC FILE.
An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.
Investigation details
Identifiers, dates and outcome as recorded by NHTSA
- Action number
- DP06005
- Investigation type
- Defect Petition (DP)
- Status
- Closed
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Component
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
- Opened
- Dec 4, 2006
- Closed
- Dec 28, 2007
- Associated recall campaign
- None recorded
Vehicles named in this investigation
6 model years across 2 models
Being named here means NHTSA included the vehicle in the scope of its inquiry. It is not a statement that these vehicles have a defect.