[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 172 (Friday, September 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47344-47345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23860]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration


Denial of Motor Vehicle Defect Petition, DP98-005

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Denial of petition for a defect investigation.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the reasons for the denial of a 
petition submitted to NHTSA under 49 U.S.C. 30162, requesting that the 
agency commence a proceeding to determine the existence of a defect 
related to motor vehicle safety. The petition is hereinafter identified 
as DP98-005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. George Chiang, Office of Defects 
Investigation (ODI), NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20590. Telephone: (202) 366-5206.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Mr. Jeff Glick of Seattle, Washington, 
submitted a petition dated May 14, 1998, requesting that an 
investigation be initiated to determine whether Model Year (MY) 1994 
Ford Probe vehicles contain a defect related to motor vehicle safety 
within the meaning of 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301. The petition alleges that 
MY 1994 Ford Probes have a defective oil pump that can fail, and that 
such a failure can pose a safety hazard. In addition, the petitioner 
alleges that the oil pump contains a safety-related defect as described 
in Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) No. 96-21-3 issued by Ford Motor 
Company (Ford).
    TSB No. 96-21-3 concerns the oil pump in MY 1993 through 1996 Ford 
Probe vehicles with a 2.0 liter engine (the subject vehicles). An 
uneven wear pattern on the oil pump control plunger can cause the 
plunger to stick and fail to properly regulate the oil pressure in the 
engine. If the oil pressure is too low, it may cause the hydraulic lash 
adjuster to bleed down. This will produce a metallic ``ticking'' noise 
at idle. If the oil pressure is too high, the hydraulic lash adjusters 
may pump up, causing the cylinder head valves to stay open. This may be 
accompanied by rough running, missing, reduced power, and at times 
stalling. Ford modified the oil pump with an improved oil pump plunger 
to reduce the possibility of sticking. The new oil pump is used in MY 
1997 and later MY Probes and as well as the replacement part for the 
subject vehicles. The new oil pump has part number F72Z-6600-AA.
    A review of agency data files, including information reported to 
the Auto Safety Hotline by consumers, indicated that aside from the 
petition, there was a complaint report submitted by the petitioner in 
February of this year concerning loss of power and stalling, possibly 
due to failure or malfunction of the oil pump. The agency has received 
no other complaints regarding oil pump problems in the subject 
vehicles.
    Ford provided information to ODI on July 30, 1998, stating that it 
has received 1,552 complaint reports concerning ``ticking/clicking'' or 
other engine noise concerns in the subject vehicles. (A total of 
192,563 subject vehicles were produced in MY 1993-1996.) Ford reported 
only 48 alleged vehicle ``stalling'' or engine ``dies'' complaints that 
may be associated with the defective oil pump, and none report injuries 
or crashes.
    The petitioner alleged that failure of the oil pump can cause a 
safety hazard because it can cause loss of engine power and stalling.
    Based on the TSB, the problem may be noticed as an engine 
``ticking'' noise. The petitioner affirms this symptom as well as the 
oil pressure gauge showing a high pressure reading. The noise and or 
high oil pressure gauge reading may alert the owner to bring the 
vehicle in for repair. The high ratio of reported engine noise 
``ticking/clicking'' complaints (1,552) compared to those of 
``stalling'' or ``dies'' (48) suggests that the problem often produces 
significant symptoms noticed by drivers, but only rarely leads to 
stalling.
    The agency has analyzed the available information concerning the 
problem alleged in the petition, including the information obtained 
from the evaluation of the ODI and Ford complaints and an analysis of 
potential failure mode. While stalling may have a significant adverse 
effect on safety, particularly where the incidence rate is high or 
there is no warning, here the malfunctioning of the Ford oil pump 
plunger has not been shown to result in a substantial rate of stalling 
incidents

[[Page 47345]]

and is unlikely to have a significant adverse effect on safety.
    In view of the foregoing, it is unlikely that NHTSA would issue an 
order for the notification and remedy of a safety-related defect in the 
subject vehicles at the conclusion of the investigation requested in 
the petition. Therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize 
NHTSA's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety 
mission, the petition is denied.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30162(d); delegations of authority at CFR 
1.50 and 501.8.
Kenneth N. Weinstein,
Associate Administrator for Safety Assurance.
[FR Doc. 98-23860 Filed 9-3-98; 8:45 am]
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