Investigations
BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA05016 — closed, opened 2005-10-14 and involving the LAND ROVER FREELANDER.
NHTSA investigation EA05016 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2005-10-14 and currently closed. The subject of record is LAND ROVER FREELANDER, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for LAND ROVER. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2007-02-22 — 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 EA05016 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: "ON JUNE 16, 2005, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE05-034) TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED STOP LAMP (BRAKE) SWITCH FAILURES IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2004 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SERIES..." 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. Related LAND ROVER files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
ON JUNE 16, 2005, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE05-034) TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED STOP LAMP (BRAKE) SWITCH FAILURES IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2004 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SERIES II VEHICLES. ON OCTOBER 14, 2005, THE INVESTIGATION WAS UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS AND THE SCOPE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE CERTAIN MY 2002 THROUGH 2005 FREELANDER VEHICLES THAT USE A SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR SELF-ADJUSTING STOP LAMP SWITCH FURNISHED BY THE SAME SUPPLIER, METHODE ELECTRONICS MALTA, LTD. (METHODE). IN SEPTEMBER 2003, METHODE MOVED THE PRODUCTION OF AN INTERNAL SWITCH COMPONENT, KNOWN AS THE SLIDER MECHANISM, FROM A VALIDATED PLASTIC INJECTION-MOLDING TOOL (¿CAVITY 1¿) TO ANOTHER TOOL (¿CAVITY 2¿) THAT HAD NOT BEEN USED BEFORE TO PRODUCE PARTS FOR LAND ROVER. SLIDERS FROM CAVITY 2 MAY BE CHARACTERIZED BY POOR FILL, LACK OF DEFINITION IN THE SLIDER TEETH AND DIMENSIONAL INSTABILITY. CONSEQUENTLY, THE SLIDER MAY BE UNABLE TO RESTRAIN IMPROPER MOVEMENT OF THE PLUNGER DURING NORMAL BRAKE PEDAL OPERATION. THIS MAY CAUSE THE SWITCH TO FALL OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, THUS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THE EFFORT REQUIRED TO ENERGIZE THE SWITCH AND ILLUMINATE THE STOP LAMPS. ¿CAVITY 2¿ SWITCHES WERE INSTALLED IN APPROXIMATELY 8,763 DISCOVERY SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT FROM DECEMBER 2003 THROUGH MAY 2004 AND APPROXIMATELY 3,915 FREELANDER SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT FROM OCTOBER 2003 THROUGH MAY 2004. ADDITIONALLY, STOP LAMP SWITCHES IN CERTAIN MY 2002 THROUGH 2005 FREELANDER SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY SLIP OUT OF ADJUSTMENT AS A RESULT OF SWITCH DAMAGE DUE TO AN INCORRECT SETTING PROCEDURE DURING VEHICLE MANUFACTURE OR AS A RESULT OF SWITCH MOUNTING BRACKET FLEX. ANALYSIS OF ALL AVAILABLE DATA INDICATES THE PREDOMINANT FAILURE MODE IS CONSTANT STOP LAMP ILLUMINATION. OTHER REPORTED CONSEQUENCES OF STOP LAMP SWITCH MALADJUSTMENT INCLUDE INOPERATIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTOR/BRAKE PEDAL SHIFT INTERLOCK, INOPERATIVE SPEED (CRUISE) CONTROL, AND TELLTALE ILLUMINATION
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.
Other LAND ROVER Investigations
Rear Seat Belt Stitching Failure and Detachment
2014-2017 Land Rover Range Rover Sport (L494) front steering knuckle fractures
High Voltage Coolant Heaters may fail to defrost windshield
Loss of Brake Power Assist
Spoiler Cover Detachment
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. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.