Investigations
ALLEGED FAILURE OF 2ND ROW SEATBELT ALR
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE02067 - closed, opened 2002-09-25.
NHTSA investigation PE02067 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2002-09-25 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2003-02-11 - 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 PE02067 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: "THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR (ALR) IS A FEATURE INCORPORATED IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE FOR LOCKING THE WEBBING TO PROPERLY SECURE A CHILD SAFETY SEAT INTO A VEHICLE. THIS PE WAS OPENED BASED ON A GM TECHNICAL SERVICE BUL..." 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 AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR (ALR) IS A FEATURE INCORPORATED IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE FOR LOCKING THE WEBBING TO PROPERLY SECURE A CHILD SAFETY SEAT INTO A VEHICLE. THIS PE WAS OPENED BASED ON A GM TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN STATING THAT WITH CERTAIN CHILD SAFETY SEATS THE WEBBING MAY NOT REMAIN LOCKED. THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS IN THE ODI DATABASE AND ONLY TWO COMPLAINTS TO GM. GM'S INSTRUCTIONS STATE FOR THE FINAL STEP IN USING THE WEBBING LOCK FEATURE TO PUSH AND PULL THE CHILD RESTRAINT TO BE SURE IT IS SECURE. IF THE ALR IS NOT LOCKED, THE USER WOULD BE FULLY AWARE OF THIS CONDITION PRIOR TO COMPLETING PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THIS VEHICLE. THIS INVESTIGATION DID NOT UNCOVER ANY COMPLAINTS OF THE ALR INADVERTENTLY UNLOCKING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR (ELR) FEATURE REMAINS AVAILABLE TO LOCK THE RETRACTOR IN A CRASH. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS. THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE ATTACHED SUMMARY FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
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.
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.