Investigations
REAR COIL SPRING FRACTURE
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA06002 - closed, opened 2006-01-24.
NHTSA investigation EA06002 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2006-01-24 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2007-02-05 - 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 EA06002 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'S ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED A HIGH COMPLAINT RATE FOR THE REAR COIL SPRINGS IN THE SALT BELT STATES (APPROXIMATELY 250 PER 100,000 VEHICLES). APPROXIMATELY 59 PERCENT OF THE COMPLAINTS ALLEGED THAT THE COIL SPRING FAILURE..." 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'S ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED A HIGH COMPLAINT RATE FOR THE REAR COIL SPRINGS IN THE SALT BELT STATES (APPROXIMATELY 250 PER 100,000 VEHICLES). APPROXIMATELY 59 PERCENT OF THE COMPLAINTS ALLEGED THAT THE COIL SPRING FAILURE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ADJACENT REAR TIRE, WITH ABOUT HALF OF THESE (30 PERCENT OF TOTAL COMPLAINTS) ALLEGING THAT THE DAMAGE RESULTED IN AIR LOSS. BECAUSE AIR LOSS FROM A REAR TIRE CAN RESULT IN CHANGES IN VEHICLE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS, ODI EXAMINED FIELD DATA, TEST DATA AND INTERVIEWED CONSUMERS TO ASSESS THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH FAILURES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION. ANALYSIS OF ALL AVAILABLE FIELD DATA DID NOT IDENTIFY ANY CRASHES OR INJURIES RESULTING FROM THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. VRTC TESTING CONDUCTED TO SIMULATE A COIL SPRING INDUCED REAR TIRE FAILURE DID NOT RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. WHEN INTERVIEWED BY ODI, NONE OF THE CONSUMERS WHO EXPERIENCED INCIDENTS OF TIRE AIR LOSS DUE TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURES CAUSED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. TIRE DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS INVOLVED RUBBING/ABRASIVE WEAR OF THE INNER TIRE SIDEWALL WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR AIR LOSS FROM PIN-HOLE SIZED LEAKS IN THE WEAR "GROOVE". THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS CAUSED ANY SUDDEN, CATASTROPHIC TIRE FAILURES IN EITHER STRAIGHT OR TURNING MANEUVERS. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST. THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RESUME.
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.