Investigations
BRAKE LAMP FAILURE
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA04021 - closed, opened 2004-08-03.
NHTSA investigation EA04021 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2004-08-03 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2004-11-04 - 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 EA04021 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: "GM STATES THAT SOME BRAKE/TAIL LAMP BULBS CAN PREMATURELY BECOME INOPERATIVE DUE TO MALFUNCTIONING BRAKE/TAIL LAMP SOCKETS. ON MARCH 2, 2004, GM INITIATED A 6-YEAR/72,000 MILE "SPECIAL POLICY" FOR 989,487 SUBJECT VEHICLE..." 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
GM STATES THAT SOME BRAKE/TAIL LAMP BULBS CAN PREMATURELY BECOME INOPERATIVE DUE TO MALFUNCTIONING BRAKE/TAIL LAMP SOCKETS. ON MARCH 2, 2004, GM INITIATED A 6-YEAR/72,000 MILE "SPECIAL POLICY" FOR 989,487 SUBJECT VEHICLES TO INSPECT AND REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE/TAIL LAMP BULB SOCKET ASSEMBLIES. ON APRIL 4, 2004, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE04-032) BASED ON CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING BRAKE LIGHTS NOT OPERATING WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. ON AUGUST 3, 2004 ODI UPGRADED PE04-032 TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA04-021). BY LETTER DATED OCTOBER 27, 2004 GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 04V527) COVERING SUBJECT VEHICLES THAT WERE NOT ALREADY REPAIRED UNDER GM'S "SPECIAL POLICY." MY 2004 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT AFTER AUGUST 8, 2003 CONTAIN IMPROVED BRAKE LAMP ASSEMBLIES AND ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. GM DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE IMPROVED BRAKE LAMP ASSEMBLY ON SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT ON AUGUST 8, 2003 AND EARLIER. THE ACTION TAKEN BY GM IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS 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.