SAE J1739 is the revised coordinated Big Three (Chrysler, Ford and General Motors) Failure Mode and Effects Analysis Reference Manual for both design and process analyses. It replaces the Big Three FMEA Reference Manual which was released through the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) in 1993. This paper tells why SAE J1739 was developed by Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, describes the historical events leading up to SAE J1739, and describes the key features and the advancements in automotive FMEA application reflected by SAE J1739.