Investigations
Tire sidewall separation
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA09012 - closed, opened 2009-07-17.
NHTSA investigation EA09012 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2009-07-17 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2010-07-07 - 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 EA09012 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: "This investigation has not identified any subject tires that have experienced a structural failure of the sidewall resulting in loss of inflation air from the tire due to the alleged defect. All of the complaints and cla..." 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
This investigation has not identified any subject tires that have experienced a structural failure of the sidewall resulting in loss of inflation air from the tire due to the alleged defect. All of the complaints and claims have related to a visible bubble on the tire sidewall. This investigation has also revealed the following information: ¿ There have been no property damage claims, crashes or injuries resulting from the alleged defect in the subject tires; ¿ There have been no allegations that the alleged defect in the subject tires has resulted in any vehicle control issues; and ¿ No new complaints have been received by ODI since March 2009. 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 continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted. For additional information regarding this Engineering Analysis, see the closing report in the Documents folder.
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.