Investigations
FRONT LAP BELT MALFUNCTION
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA00009 - closed, opened 2000-03-16.
NHTSA investigation EA00009 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2000-03-16 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2000-04-18 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
An Engineering Analysis like EA00009 is the deeper technical phase that follows a PE. NHTSA requests design, warranty, and field-failure data from the manufacturer, conducts its own testing when needed, and determines whether the evidence supports a safety defect finding that would compel a recall.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "ODI OPENED THIS EA00-009 ON MARCH 16, 2000, TO CONTINUE ANALYSES BEGUN UNDER PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE99-076. THE ALLEGED DEFECT: LAP BELT WEBBING IN BOTH SEATING POSITIONS TENDS TO FOLD OVER WHILE ENTERING THE RETRACTOR..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time.
Investigation Summary
ODI OPENED THIS EA00-009 ON MARCH 16, 2000, TO CONTINUE ANALYSES BEGUN UNDER PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE99-076. THE ALLEGED DEFECT: LAP BELT WEBBING IN BOTH SEATING POSITIONS TENDS TO FOLD OVER WHILE ENTERING THE RETRACTOR OPENING. THESE FOLDS FREQUENTLY IMPEDE PROPER WEBBING RETRACTION. IF THE RETRACTOR HAS BEEN INADVERTENTLY TOGGLED INTO AUTOMATIC LOCK RETRACTOR (ALR) MODE BY BEING EXTENDED TO ITS FULL LENGTH, IT MAY FAIL TO RESET ITSELF TO THE NORMAL EMERGENCY LOCK RETRACTOR (ELR) MODE. SUCH A CONDITION HAS BEEN SHOWN TO RENDER THE ACTIVE RESTRAINT UNUSABLE. CONCLUSION: GM WILL REMEDY THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN 71,569 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO AUGUST 1999 BY ADDING WEBBING GUIDE INSERTS TO THE LAP RETRACTOR OPENINGS OF BOTH SEATING POSITIONS TO PREVENT THE ADMISSION OF FOLDED WEBBING ONTO THE RETRACTOR SPOOL. THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN CLOSED.
About This Investigation Type
An Engineering Analysis (EA) is the in-depth phase following a Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA engineers conduct testing, collect data from manufacturers, and perform detailed technical analysis to determine whether a safety defect exists. An EA may lead to a voluntary recall by the manufacturer or, in rare cases, a mandatory recall order.
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.