THE MANUFACTURER WAS INITIALLY CONTACTED UNDER DP87-003, SUDDEN ACCELER-ATION OF 1983-86 FORD, MERCURY, AND LINCOLN CARS EQUIPPED WITH 3.8 AND 5.0LITER ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.ALL INFORMATION SUBMITTED BYTHE MANUFACTURER DEALING WITH SURGING HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE SUBJECTINVESTIGATIVE FILE.STATUS:ANALYSIS IS CONTINUING TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS AN IDENTIFIABLEDEFECT TREND INVOLVING THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF VEHICLES, OR ANY OF THESPECIFIC 38 COMBINATIONS OF MODEL AND MODEL YEAR WITHIN THE POPULATION.BACKGROUND:UPON COMPLETION OF THE ANALYSIS OF DP87-003, THE PETITION WAS GRANTED FORFURTHER REVIEW OF ENGINE SURGING.IN THE PETITION ANALYSIS, A DISTINCTIONWAS MADE BETWEEN SUDDEN ACCELERATION ACCOMPANIED BY INEFFECTIVE BRAKES, ASOPPOSED TO SURGING WHICH MAY OCCUR IN SITUATIONS THAT ALLOW INSUFFICIENTTIME AND SPACE TO AVOID COLLISION WHEN EXPERIENCED IN CLOSE QUARTERS.THEINFORMATION ACQUIRED INDICATED THAT ALLEGATIONS OF WIDE-OPEN THROTTLESUDDEN ACCELERATION WHICH RENDERED THE SERVICE BRAKES INEFFECTIVE WAS NOTAN ISSUE REQUIRING FURTHER INVESTIGATIVE ACTION.HOWEVER, THE DETAILS OFTHE MAJORITY OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS INDICATED THAT ENGINE SURGING ASDESCRIBED ABOVE, PRESENTED QUESTIONS REQUIRING ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATIVEREVIEW.ON THIS BASIS, THE SUBJECT EA WAS INITIATED.ANALYSIS OF THE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ACCUMULATED UNDER DP87-003 DISCLOSEDTHAT THE ABOVE TABULATIONS OF COMPLAINTS, ACCIDENTS, AND INJURIES FALLWITHIN THE DEFINITION OF ENGINE SURGING AS DEFINED IN THE PRECEDINGPARAGRAPH.===