Investigations
INADVERTENT SIDE-AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE04081 - closed, opened 2004-12-16.
NHTSA investigation PE04081 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2004-12-16 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2005-04-01 - 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 PE04081 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 SIDE-THORAX AND SIDE-HEAD CURTAIN AIRBAGS TO PROTECT THE FRONT AND REAR OUTBOARD OCCUPANTS IN A SIDE-IMPACT CRASH. THIS INVESTIGATION IDENTIFIED A TOTAL OF 499 REPORTS (482 OWNERS R..." 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 SIDE-THORAX AND SIDE-HEAD CURTAIN AIRBAGS TO PROTECT THE FRONT AND REAR OUTBOARD OCCUPANTS IN A SIDE-IMPACT CRASH. THIS INVESTIGATION IDENTIFIED A TOTAL OF 499 REPORTS (482 OWNERS REPORTS AND 17 WARRANTY CLAIMS). THE CRASH SENSING SYSTEM¿S ALGORITHM MAY RECOGNIZE CERTAIN NON-CRASH IMPACTS (WHEEL, TIRE AND UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACTS) AS DEPLOYABLE EVENTS. THE 97 ALLEGED INJURIES WERE MINOR IN NATURE AND CONSIST OF ABRASIONS, BRUISES, EAR RINGING AND HEADACHES. THERE WAS NO ALLEGED LOSS OF CONTROL CRASH AS A RESULT OF SIDE-AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. ODI ALSO OBTAINED COUNTS OF ALLEGED INADVERTENT SIDE-AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS FROM PEER MANUFACTURERS. THE DATA SHOWS THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE NOT UNIQUE IN BEING SUBJECT TO SUCH ALLEGATIONS. THE COMPLAINT RATE FOR NON-SUBJECT INDIVIDUAL MODEL VEHICLES VARIES WIDELY. THE RATE FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS COMPARABLE TO THREE PEER MODELS, EACH WITH COMPACT CHASSIS/WHEELBASES. ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED ANY COMPONENT FAILURE OR MANUFACTURING TREND THAT MAY RELATE TO A COMPONENT OR MANUFACTURING ISSUE. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST. THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
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.