Mercury and Ford preliminary evaluation PE14021
Steering Column Shaft Obstruction. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the exhaust system on 10 model years (2004–2007). Opened Jul 7, 2014, closed Nov 21, 2014 after 5 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedOn July 7, 2014 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a preliminary evaluation based on five complaints (VOQs) alleging incidents ofinterference between dislodged exhaust manifold heat shields and the lower steering shaft/knuckle, including one alleging the interference resulted in a crash on a highway entrance ramp. Since opening this investigation, ODI has received four additional owner complaints. One indicated that the shield was removed before binding could occur. The other three occurred at low speed and produced some momentary steering binding that was overcome by the driver when additional steering effort was applied. Once the shield was repaired or removed, the steering returned to normal. The single incident ODI identified as a possible crash (VOQ No. 10578715) related to this condition could not be verified and the description of the crash in the complaint was not supported by the police accident report. No additional crash allegations have been identified related to the alleged defect condition. Information provided by Ford in its September 10, 2014 response to ODI's information request letter identified 10 additional incidents resulting in a low rate of 1.6 incidents per 100,000 vehicles sold in vehicles ranging from 7 to 11 years in service. Six of these incidents were reported by a single source, a state police fleet that corrected the problems in March 2011 and has not reported any additional failures since. Ford also reported 5 warranty claims, but these incidents occurred at very low mileages and appeared to be caused by loose or missing heat shield attachment hardware rather than the corrosion condition that was the cause of the more recent incidents and the focus of this investigation. This investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted. The following VOQs are associated with this investigation:10643753, 10615584, 10611362, 10610451, 10578715, 10479681, 10471833, 10317493.
A Preliminary Evaluation is the first formal stage: NHTSA has decided the complaints and other information it screened are worth a closer look, and asks the manufacturer for its own data on the condition. The summary is the agency’s own text from its investigation file, unedited; the opening and closing resumes with the full reasoning are on NHTSA’s site under this number.
What this means for an owner
Source: and what happens nextAn investigation is not a finding that a defect exists, and it puts no duty on anyone. NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation when complaints and other reports suggest a condition worth asking the manufacturer about; it upgrades to an Engineering Analysis when the answers warrant testing; it closes either when it recommends a recall, when the manufacturer recalls on its own, or when no defect trend is found. The agency’s own goals are about four months for a petition, eight for a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query and eighteen for an Engineering Analysis; many run longer.
This one closed without a recall. That means NHTSA found no defect trend it chose to act on at the time, or the manufacturer addressed the condition another way (a service campaign or a bulletin, which have their own pages). A closed file can be reopened if new reports arrive.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2004 Ford Crown Victoria; 2005 Ford Crown Victoria; 2006 Ford Crown Victoria; 2007 Ford Crown Victoria; 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis; 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis; 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis; 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis; 2004 Mercury Marauder; 2005 Mercury Marauder.
A vehicle page’s investigation list carries the same action; a name here is the scope NHTSA opened, not a list of affected VINs.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs PE14021 a recall?
No. A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA asking questions, not a recall. A safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number and a duty to repair for free; this one closed without one. Whether one particular vehicle has an open recall is a VIN question at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is PE14021 still open?
No. It closed on Nov 21, 2014 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE14021 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 10 model years: 2004 Ford Crown Victoria, 2005 Ford Crown Victoria, 2006 Ford Crown Victoria, 2007 Ford Crown Victoria, 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis, 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis and more. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.