Investigations
SIDE FRONT POWER WINDOW SHATTERS
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA08004 - closed, opened 2008-02-05.
NHTSA investigation EA08004 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2008-02-05 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2008-05-01 - 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 EA08004 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: "FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE RETENTION FORCE OF THE REGULATOR BOLTS WHICH ATTACH THE FRONT SIDE WINDOW GLASS TO THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT DUE TO AN INTERFERENCE OF THE..." 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
FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE RETENTION FORCE OF THE REGULATOR BOLTS WHICH ATTACH THE FRONT SIDE WINDOW GLASS TO THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT DUE TO AN INTERFERENCE OF THE RETENTION NUT AND THE BOLT SHOULDER RADIUS. IN THIS CONDITION THE BOLT MAY BECOME LOOSE, CAUSING A LOUD NOISE TO BE GENERATED WHEN THE WINDOW IS RAISED OR LOWERED. IF THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER WINDOW ARE CONTINUOUSLY OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, THE BOLT MAY COMPLETELY SEPARATE, CAUSING THE GLASS TO BECOME MISALIGNED, AND IN THE WORSE CASE, THE GLASS MAY SHATTER DURING OPERATION OF THE POWER WINDOW. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION (GM) AND TOYOTA NORTH AMERICA, INC. (TOYOTA) WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL ON THE PONTIAC VIBE, TOYOTA COROLLA AND TOYOTA MATRIX VEHICLES TO REPLACE THE REGULATOR BOLT WITH A BOLT AND WASHER. GM WILL RECALL 122,593 MY 2003-2004 PONTIAC VIBE VEHICLES. ODI IS AWARE OF A TOTAL OF 16,045 WARRANTY AND GOODWILL CLAIMS, 274 FIELD AND CONSUMER REPORTS, AND 23 INJURIES FOR THESE VEHICLES. TOYOTA WILL RECALL 415,341 MY 2003-2004 TOYOTA COROLLA VEHICLES. ODI IS AWARE OF A TOTAL OF 6,601 WARRANTY CLAIMS, 150 FIELD AND CONSUMER REPORTS, AND 11 INJURIES FOR THESE VEHICLES. TOYOTA WILL RECALL 124,244 MY 2003-2004 TOYOTA COROLLA MATRIX VEHICLES. ODI IS AWARE OF A TOTAL OF 2,198 WARRANTY CLAIMS, 113 FIELD AND CONSUMER REPORTS, AND 6 INJURIES FOR THESE VEHICLES. ODI IS AWARE OF A TOTAL OF 24,843 WARRANTY CLAIMS, 537 FIELD AND CONSUMER REPORTS, AND 40 INJURIES FOR 662,178 MY 2003-2004 VEHICLES. THE RECALL IS IDENTIFIED BY NHTSA NUMBER 08V-162.
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.