NHTSA safety investigation
NHTSA Investigation PE98052
Preliminary Evaluation · Ford Motor Company · VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
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
FUEL SPIT BACK DURING REFUELING
THE SUBJECT VEHICLE IS FITTED WITH AN ONBOARD REFUELIG VAPOR RECOVERY (ORVR) SYSTEM, AS REQUIRED BY THE EPA.THE EPA SAFETY REQUIREMENTS, PREPARED IN COOPERATION WITH ,AND APPROVED BY NHTSA, REQUIRE VEHICLES TO BE REFUELED AT A RATE OF 10 GALLONS PER MINUTE (THE MAXIMUM RATE ALLOWED TO BE USED IN REFUELING STATIONS, BY EPA REGULATION) WITHOUT FUEL BEING FORCED OUT THE FUEL FILLER PIPE.THIS REQUIREMENT WAS BASED ON A HISTORY OF FIRES IN FILLING STATIONS AND INCIDENTS OF FUEL SPITTING BACK ARE CONSIDERED TO BE A FIRE SAFETY RISK.OF THE 114 COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS ALLEGING PROBLEMS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REFUEL THE VEHICLE, 27 SPECIFICALLY STATED THAT FUEL SPIT-BACK OUT OF THE FUEL FILLER PIPE.FORD REPORTSCOMPLAINTS ARE STILL BEING RECEIVED.
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
- PE98052
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation (PE)
- Status
- Closed
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Component
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
- Opened
- Sep 25, 1998
- Closed
- Apr 9, 1999
- Associated recall campaign
- None recorded
Vehicles named in this investigation
1 model year across 1 model
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.