Investigations
SEAT BACK FAILURE
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA89029 - closed, opened 1989-07-28.
NHTSA investigation EA89029 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 1989-07-28 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1990-09-24 - 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 EA89029 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: "SUMMARY: SCHOOL DISTRICT REPORTS EXTENDED SEAT BACKS ARE BREAKING AWAYFROM THE SEATS SOLID FRAME. SEAT BACK SEPARATION COULD HAVE A DETRIMENTALEFFECT ON THE VEHICLES COMPARTMENTALIZATION PRINCIPLE IN THE EVENT OF ASERIOU..." 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
SUMMARY: SCHOOL DISTRICT REPORTS EXTENDED SEAT BACKS ARE BREAKING AWAYFROM THE SEATS SOLID FRAME. SEAT BACK SEPARATION COULD HAVE A DETRIMENTALEFFECT ON THE VEHICLES COMPARTMENTALIZATION PRINCIPLE IN THE EVENT OF ASERIOUS ACCIDENT.COMPARTMENTALIZATION, AS OUTLINED IN THE STANDARD, REQUIRES STRENGTH INTHE ENTIRE SEATING SYSTEM WHICH INCLUDES THE FLOOR, THE SEAT FRAME AND THEFASTENING OF THE FRAMES TO THE FLOOR WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDING SEATSYSTEM PADDING AND FLEXIBILITY TO ABSORB ENERGY IN A CRASH.CROWN CLAIMS THE FAILURES RESULT FROM ABUSE AND ARE ISOLATED. A RECENTTELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE FLEET INVOLVED INDICATED THAT 43 ADDITIONALSEATS WERE RECENTLY REMOVED (BY CROWN) FOR WELDING REPAIRS.===
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.