Investigations
SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA94036 - closed, opened 1994-10-27.
NHTSA investigation EA94036 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 1994-10-27 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1997-01-14 - 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 EA94036 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: "IN MAY 1995 ALL 11 OEM'S WHICH USED THE SUBJECT TAKATA SEAT BELTS ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD RECALL ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES (95V-103). AFTER RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICES, ODI..." 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
IN MAY 1995 ALL 11 OEM'S WHICH USED THE SUBJECT TAKATA SEAT BELTS ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD RECALL ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES (95V-103). AFTER RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICES, ODI CLOSED ITS DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS OF THOSE OEM'S. HOWEVER, THE AGENCY CONTINUED TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER TAKATA, AS A SUPPLIER TO THE AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS, HAD FULFILLED ITS OBLIGTATION TO NOTIFY NHTSA AND THE OEM'S THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAD TO BE RECALLED TO REMEDY A SAFETY PROBLEM. ODI IS NOW CLOSING THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS SINCE THE ISSUES RELATED TO WHETHER TAKATA FULFILLED ITS OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE A SAFETY DEFECT NOTIFICATION UNDER 49 U.S.C. CHAPTER 301 HAVE BEEN RESOLVED PURSUANT TO A SETTLEMENT.
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.