Investigations
TAILGATE CABLE BREAKAGE
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA04005 - closed, opened 2004-02-19.
NHTSA investigation EA04005 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2004-02-19 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2004-09-28 - 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 EA04005 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: "GENERAL MOTORS FILED A DEFECT NOTICE 04V-129 ON MARCH 17, 2004, WHICH OUTLINES A PROGRAM TO REPLACE THE TAILGATE CABLES INSTALLED IN AFFECTED MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 VEHICLES. REFER TO ODI'S CLOSING REPORT FOR EA04-005 FOR..." 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
GENERAL MOTORS FILED A DEFECT NOTICE 04V-129 ON MARCH 17, 2004, WHICH OUTLINES A PROGRAM TO REPLACE THE TAILGATE CABLES INSTALLED IN AFFECTED MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 VEHICLES. REFER TO ODI'S CLOSING REPORT FOR EA04-005 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. ODI IS AWARE OF REPORTS OF TAILGATE CABLE BREAKAGE OCCURRING IN MODEL YEAR 1999 AND EARLIER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH SIMILAR TAILGATE CABLES AS ADDRESSED BY 04V-129, BUT ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY CAMPAIGN O4V-129. ODI IS INITIATING A SEPARATE INVESTIGATION TO ADDRESS THESE VEHICLES. THE COMPLAINT-INJURY-FATALITY STATISTICS SUMMARIZED ABOVE PERTAIN TO MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 VEHICLES. THE COMPLAINT-INJURY STATISTICS FOR MODEL YEAR 1999 AND EARLIER VEHICLES ARE SUMMARIZED ON THE OPENING RESUME FOR THAT INVESTIGATION.
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.