Investigations
FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINT BREAKAGE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE04040 - closed, opened 2004-04-13 and involving the TOYOTA TOYOTA.
NHTSA investigation PE04040 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2004-04-13 and currently closed. The subject of record is TOYOTA TOYOTA, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for TOYOTA. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2004-08-20 - 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 PE04040 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 PE04-040 BASED ON THREE CONSUMER REPORTS OF ALLEGED BALL JOINT FAILURE. THE COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT A FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINT SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING, WHICH CAUSED THE SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE AND RESULTED IN..." 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 TOYOTA 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 PE04-040 BASED ON THREE CONSUMER REPORTS OF ALLEGED BALL JOINT FAILURE. THE COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT A FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINT SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING, WHICH CAUSED THE SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE AND RESULTED IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS INVOLVED THE FAILURE OF A LOWER BALL JOINT. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, TOYOTA IDENTIFIED A TOTAL OF 15 COMPLAINTS OF LOWER BALL JOINT SEPARATION, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH, AND 28 WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO LOWER BALL JOINT WEAR. ODI'S ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT OF THE 15 SEPARATIONS, 11 WERE ON FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES (24.2 PER 100,000 VEHICLES), WHICH MAKE UP APPROXIMATELY 40% OF THE 2002 MY POPULATION (45,448 VEHICLES). ODI'S ANALYSIS ALSO SHOWED THAT SOME DRIVERS LOST FRONT BRAKING ABILITY AS THE BRAKE LINE SEVERED WHEN THE FRONT SUSPENSION COLLAPSED. THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE, TO ASSESS THE SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES, AND TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF THE AFFECTED POPULATION.
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 TOYOTA Investigations
Brake Actuator Valve Wear
Electrical problems / No-start
Joyson Passenger Side Air Bag Cushion
Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
Brake Actuator Valve Wear
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.