Investigations
PASSENGER SIR DOOR MOUNTING STUD FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE03021 - closed, opened 2003-05-23 and involving the VOLKSWAGEN VOLKSWAGEN.
NHTSA investigation PE03021 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2003-05-23 and currently closed. The subject of record is VOLKSWAGEN VOLKSWAGEN, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for VOLKSWAGEN. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2003-10-07 - 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 PE03021 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 OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE03-021) BASED ON TWO REPORTS OF FAILED BOLT STUDS THAT ATTACH THE PASSENGER SUPPLEMENTAL INFLATABLE RESTRAINT (PSIR) DOOR COVER TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (IP) ON THE VOLKSWAGEN (VW) P..." 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 VOLKSWAGEN files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
ODI OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE03-021) BASED ON TWO REPORTS OF FAILED BOLT STUDS THAT ATTACH THE PASSENGER SUPPLEMENTAL INFLATABLE RESTRAINT (PSIR) DOOR COVER TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (IP) ON THE VOLKSWAGEN (VW) PASSAT (MODEL YEARS 2000, 2002). VW HAS INDICATED TO ODI THAT IT HAS NO ADDITIONAL REPORTS. VW IMPLEMENTED A PROCESS CHANGE ON MARCH 1, 2002. THIS PROCESS CHANGE CONSISTED OF CHANGING THE BOLT APPLICATION THAT FASTENS THE PSIR DOOR TO THE IP FROM A WELD ON APPLICATION TO A PRESS ON APPLICATION. VW ALSO CHANGED THE MATERIAL OF THE BOLT. VW STATED THAT THE CHANGES WERE MADE TO EASE PRODUCTION BY ELIMINATING A WELDING PROCESS. ODI HAS UPGRADED ITS INVESTIGATION TO ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA03-020).
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 VOLKSWAGEN Investigations
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
Inadvertent Door Opening
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
LGES High Voltage Battery Failures
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.