Investigations
FRONT TURN SIGNAL/DRL FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE04061 - closed, opened 2004-08-17 and involving the SATURN SATURN.
NHTSA investigation PE04061 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2004-08-17 and currently closed. The subject of record is SATURN SATURN, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for SATURN. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2004-12-22 - 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 PE04061 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: "ON NOVEMBER 16, 2004, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF 178,798 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003 AND 2004 SATURN ION SEDAN VEHICLES FOR INOPERATIVE FRONT TURN SIGNAL/DRL BULBS. GM STATED THAT TEMPERATURES 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 SATURN files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
ON NOVEMBER 16, 2004, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF 178,798 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003 AND 2004 SATURN ION SEDAN VEHICLES FOR INOPERATIVE FRONT TURN SIGNAL/DRL BULBS. GM STATED THAT TEMPERATURES IN THE LAMP ASSEMBLY EXCEED THE MATERIAL SPECIFICATION FOR THE BULB SOCKETS AND BULB BASE SLEEVES, WHICH CAUSE DEFORMATION. THE DEFORMED SOCKETS CAN CAUSE LOSS OF BULB AND SOCKET CONTACT. THE DEFORMED SLEEVES CAN CAUSE STRESS CRACKS TO FORM ON THE BULB THAT CAN LEAD TO PREMATURE BULB FAILURE. THE RECALL REMEDY IS TO REPLACE THE FRONT TURN SIGNAL/DRL BULBS AND INSPECT FOR VOLTAGE-REDUCING JUMPER (WHICH REDUCES TEMPERATURE IN LAMP ASSEMBLY) AND ADD IF NOT PRESENT. SEE NHTSA RECALL NO. 04V547 FOR DETAILS. THE BULBS FOR THE TURN SIGNAL/DRL IN THE SATURN ION SEDAN AND ION COUPE ARE IDENTICAL IN DESIGN AND MADE BY THE SAME SUPPLIER. BUT THE TURN SIGNAL/DRL SOCKETS, WIRING AND HOUSING ARE DIFFERENT IN DESIGN FOR THE SEDAN AND COUPE, AND WERE MADE BY DIFFERENT SUPPLIERS. GM'S DATA SHOWS A LOWER OPERATING TEMPERATURE FOR THE COUPE'S LAMP ASSEMBLY THAT DOES NOT EXCEED THE MATERIAL SPECIFICATION FOR THE BULB SOCKET AND THE BULB BASE SLEEVE. COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY RATE IS ALSO LOWER FOR THE COUPE. HOWEVER, GM'S WARRANTY DATA SHOWS A CONTINUING TREND FOR THE COUPE. THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA04-035) FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE MY 2003 AND 2004 SATURN ION COUPE 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 SATURN Investigations
Electric Power Steering Failure
Electric Power Steering Failure
OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES STICK UNLATCHED
TIMING CHAIN BREAKS, ENGINE STALL
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE-STALL
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.