gas tank explosion data on Panther platforms from the DOT

[oradba]

hello all,

Ever wondered about the gas tank explosions that are reputed to happen in panther platform cars?

Here is a link to the official DOT study. Turns out that Crown Vic platforms caught fire from rear end collisions at the same rate as the Caprice, and as the general population of cars as a whole, and actually did *better* than the norm if police cars were removed from the results:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/studies/CrownVic/Index.html


Here is the bottom line from the report:

Center for Auto Safety (CAS) Petition:
On July 22, 2002, the CAS petitioned NHTSA to upgrade SQ01-014 to an Engineering Analysis and to expand the scope of its investigation to include all fuel-fed post crash fires in the subject vehicles regardless of the source or direction of impact. ODI conducted searches of the FARS database for information on all MY 1992-2001 Panther vehicles and all <B> other sedans (AOS) </B> for fatal crashes involving fire. These searches included all impact locations and were executed once including police vehicles and once excluding police vehicles.

<B> Expressing the risk of fire as a ratio of fires in fatal vehicles per total fatal vehicles yields a ratio (including police vehicles) of 0.033 for both the Ford Panther and AOS. Excluding police vehicles yields a ratio of 0.029 for the Ford Panther versus 0.033 for AOS. </B> These results indicate that the subject vehicles are not over-represented with respect to the risk of fire in high-energy crashes.

ODI Findings:

The crash energy levels associated with post rear impact fuel tank failures in the CVPI vehicles are significantly greater than the levels in FMVSS 301 tests.

Fuel tank failures during high-speed rear impacts can result from numerous causes in addition to the hex-headed bolt and U-brackets identified in the Ford TSB. Crash reports identify many causes for loss of fuel system integrity during a high-energy rear crash, such as puncture from a deformed frame rail, lower shock absorber supports, or stowed items in the trunk, hydrostatic rupture, and other causes.

<B> Based on analysis of FARS data, the risk of fire per fatal rear crash in the subject vehicles is comparable to that of the GM B-body vehicle (Caprice). </B>

The vast majority of reported post rear crash fires in the subject vehicles (over 80%) occurred in CVPI vehicles, even though they constitute less than 15% of the total Panther vehicle production.
The Florida Highway Patrol Study did not identify a difference between the post rear impact fire risk in CVPI vehicles and that of the Caprice police vehicles.
Ford-sponsored testing indicates that the subject vehicles are not unique in their inability to maintain fuel tank integrity in at least one example of a severe rear impact crash.
There have been numerous high-energy rear crashes involving CVPI vehicles within the scope of Ford’s TSB that exhibited little or no fuel loss and no fire

Jack

[sailsmen]

Fortifying vehicles expensive, U.S. regulator says
July 31, 2003

BY JOCELYN PARKER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- The head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is standing by the safety of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor even as controversy about the vehicle continues to swirl.

Dr. Jeffrey Runge, NHTSA's administrator, said any vehicle would have a tough time withstanding the type of high-speed rear collisions that have caused fuel-tank fires in the Ford Motor Co.'sCrown Victorias. And if city, state and county governments want something that would never explode in these crashes, they would have to commit six-figure sums for each car, he said.

"The real question is: Are government agencies going to be willing to invest in a special vehicle that's impervious to any peril?" Runge said in an interview with the Free Press. "There's not" such a vehicle. "But I'm sure that if they were willing to pay six-figure sums for every vehicle, somebody would design one."

Runge added that the speeds have been so high during some of the crashes -- sometimes at 70 miles per hour or higher -- that the agency can't insist that every vehicle hold up.

Fuel-tank fires following high-speed rear collisions have killed at least 18 officers over the past several years.

The agency opened an investigation into the Crown Victoria in November 2001 following reports from law enforcement agencies about fuel-tank leaks and fires after high-speed rear crashes. NHTSA closed its probe in October after it found that the vehicles met current standards for fuel-system integrity and that the risk of fire per fatal rear crash in the Crown Victoria was comparable to the Chevrolet Caprice police cars.

Runge also said the agency has investigated crashes since it closed its investigation and that it hasn't found any defect. "I'm very confident that our defects investigation office did more than due diligence," he said.

Ford spokeswoman Kristen Kinley said Runge's comments weren't surprising. "It just validates what we've been saying all along," she said, adding that a lot of police officers still support Ford.

The Crown Victoria, which has been the subject of several lawsuits, has been the overwhelming vehicle choice of municipal and state law-enforcement agencies. About 85 percent of all police departments and state troopers use the vehicles.

Roughly a year ago, Ford said it would voluntarily put plastic fuel-tank shields on the 350,000 Crown Victoria Police Interceptors on the road. The shields are designed to go around the gas tank and to ensure that suspension and other components would not rupture the gas tank. Ford also created two panels to examine devices and practices that would make the vehicles safer.

In May, the vehicle received the top safety rating from NHTSA in crash tests.

Nevertheless, some police departments have said Ford's fixes aren't enough to protect their officers. Some agencies have suggested that Ford use fuel tank bladders, which are reinforced liners for fuel tanks. Others have suggested that Ford totally redesign the vehicle, and some have looked for other vehicle options outside Ford.

Ford has said publicly that the bladders leaked during its durability tests.

This month, the City of Dallas reported crash-test results that showed that Ford's Trunk Packs, which are supposed to protect the fuel tank from sharp equipment during rear-end crashes, may increase fuel leakage in some accidents. Ford denies that claim.

Contact JOCELYN PARKER at 313-222-5391 or parker@freepress.com.

[VaderSS]

Basically what I've been saying all along, when this subject comes up. If GM were still building Caprices and still the top dog as far as cop cars went, GM would be in the hot seat right now.

Not saying there is not room for improvement, just that my car is as safe, or as dangerous as yours...