Investigations
AIR BAG MODULE DETACHMENT
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE00018 — closed, opened 2000-04-14 and involving the JEEP JEEP.
NHTSA investigation PE00018 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2000-04-14 and currently closed. The subject of record is JEEP JEEP, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for JEEP. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2000-10-13 — NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE00018 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "ODI HAS RECEIVED A COMMPLAINT STATING THAT THE DRIVER-SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG MODULE DETACHED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE ATTEMPTION TO USE THE HORN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A BRAND NEW MODEL YEAR 2000 JEEP WRANGLE (PURCHASE..." 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. Related JEEP files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
ODI HAS RECEIVED A COMMPLAINT STATING THAT THE DRIVER-SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG MODULE DETACHED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE ATTEMPTION TO USE THE HORN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A BRAND NEW MODEL YEAR 2000 JEEP WRANGLE (PURCHASED I LATE MARCH 2000). THE AIR BAG MODULE FELL OFF THE STEERING WHEEL AND WAS HANGING BY ITS WIRES. THE REPAIRING DELERSHIP STATED THAT THE TWO MOUNTING SCREWS, HOLDING THE INTEGTATED HORN/AIR BAG MODULE TO THE STEERING WHEEL, WERE MISSING. THIS INVESTIGATIONN IS OPENED TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM OF MIS-ASSEMBLED AIR BAG MODULES IN TH EJEEP WRANGLE VEHICLES.
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Other JEEP Investigations
Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) Failure
Underhood fires
Loss of Motive Power
False overheat leading to loss of motive power
Electronic Parking Brake Water Ingress
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. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.