Investigations
DRIVER SEAT OVERHEATS/BURNS
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE03052 - closed, opened 2003-11-19.
NHTSA investigation PE03052 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2003-11-19 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2004-03-30 - 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 PE03052 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 SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL ELECTRICALLY HEATED DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS. INFORMATION RECEIVED DURING PE03-052 DISCLOSED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INCIDENTS OF MALFUNCTIONING/OVERHEATING OF THE..." 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 SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL ELECTRICALLY HEATED DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS. INFORMATION RECEIVED DURING PE03-052 DISCLOSED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INCIDENTS OF MALFUNCTIONING/OVERHEATING OF THE DRIVER SEAT HEATER IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. ADDITIONAL INCIDENTS MAY OCCUR DURING THE FINAL MONTHS OF THE WINTER SEASON. THIS MATTER IS ALSO CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED BY TRANSPORT CANADA. THIS PE HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA04-010) IN ORDER TO FULLY INVESTIGATE THESE OCCURRENCES AND THEIR SAFETY IMPLICATIONS.
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.