Investigations
REAR SHOULDER BELT MALFUNCTION
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA99019 - closed, opened 1999-07-07.
NHTSA investigation EA99019 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 1999-07-07 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2000-02-22 - 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 EA99019 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: "THE ALLEGED DEFECT CONCERNS TWO MAJOR SYMPTOMS: FAILURE TO RETRACT WEBBING AND INABILITY TO EXTEND THE WEBBINNG FOR USE. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THESE SYMPTOMS IS THE DESIGN OF THE TRIM BEZEL THROUGH WHICH THE SEBBING PASSES...." 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
THE ALLEGED DEFECT CONCERNS TWO MAJOR SYMPTOMS: FAILURE TO RETRACT WEBBING AND INABILITY TO EXTEND THE WEBBINNG FOR USE. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THESE SYMPTOMS IS THE DESIGN OF THE TRIM BEZEL THROUGH WHICH THE SEBBING PASSES. BUILT INTO THE REAR PACKAGE SHELF, THE BEZEL INCLUDES A VERTICAL SLOT TO FACILITATE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY. THE SLOT IS POSITIONED SUCH THAT THE SHOULDER BELT WEBBING TENDS TO SLIP INTO IT. WEBBING INGESTION BY THE VERTICAL SLOT MAY RETARD WEBBING RETRACTION, OR ALLOW WEBBING TWISTS TO ACCUMULATE ON THE RETRACTOR SPOOL. IN EITHER CASE, THE RETRACTOR MAY FAIL TO MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE TENSION ON THE SEAT OCCUPANT. FAILURE OF THE SHOULDER BELT TO COMPLETELY RETRACT MAY ALSO RESULT IN AN INABILITY TO EXTEND IT FOR USE IF THE CHILD RESTRAINT "CINCH FEATURE" HAS BEEN INADVERTENTLY ENGAGE (BY EXTENDING THE WEBBING TO ITS MAXIMUM LENGTH). GM WILL REMEDY THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES BY STRAIGHTENING AN TWISTED REAR SHOULDER BELT WEBBING AND THEM INSTALLING A PLASTIC COVER THAT WILL PREVENT FURTHER WEBBING INGESTION BY THE WEBBING GUIDE VERTICAL SLOT. THIS ENGINEERIGN ANANLYSIS IS CLOSED.
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.