Investigations
SUN ROOF GLASS FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE05052 - closed, opened 2005-09-22.
NHTSA investigation PE05052 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2005-09-22 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2006-01-20 - 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 PE05052 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: "OF THE 17 COMPLAINTS, THERE WERE 9 INJURY INCIDENTS RESULTING IN 19 INDIVIDUALS BEING INJURED. THE INJURIES CONSIST OF CUTS AND SCRAPES TO OCCUPANT'S FACE, ARM, HAND OR LEG. SOME INJURIES WERE THE DIRECT RESULT OF THE FA..." 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
OF THE 17 COMPLAINTS, THERE WERE 9 INJURY INCIDENTS RESULTING IN 19 INDIVIDUALS BEING INJURED. THE INJURIES CONSIST OF CUTS AND SCRAPES TO OCCUPANT'S FACE, ARM, HAND OR LEG. SOME INJURIES WERE THE DIRECT RESULT OF THE FALLING GLASS FRAGMENTS WHILE OTHER INJURIES OCCURRED WHEN OCCUPANTS WERE EXITING THE VEHICLE OR WHILE HANDLING THE GLASS FRAGMENTS. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE FIVE WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO THE ISSUE FOR A TOTAL OF 22 REPORTS. GM HAS NOT IDENTIFIED ANY MANUFACTURING PROCESS OR QUALITY CONTROL ISSUE WITH THE MOVABLE SUN ROOF/MOON ROOF GLASS PANEL. THEY BELIEVE THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE BREAKAGE IS RANDOM STONE OR SHARP DEBRIS IMPACT TO THE GLASS ROOF STRUCTURE. ODI'S ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS MY 2006 VEHICLES ARE SOLD AND PUT INTO SERVICE. THE EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THE BROKEN GLASS FRAGMENTS WILL FALL DIRECTLY ONTO BOTH THE FRONT AND MIDDLE ROW SEAT OCCUPANTS OF THESE VEHICLES. THESE OCCURRENCES MAY POSE A RISK OF DRIVER DISTRACTION AND/OR OCCUPANT INJURY. THIS INVESTIGATION IS BEING UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA06-001) TO FURTHER ASSESS THIS MATTER AND WILL INCLUDE MY 2006 SRX 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.
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.