Investigations
SRS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE05060 — closed, opened 2005-11-10 and involving the PORSCHE PORSCHE.
NHTSA investigation PE05060 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2005-11-10 and currently closed. The subject of record is PORSCHE PORSCHE, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for PORSCHE. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2006-03-15 — 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 PE05060 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: "DURING THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PHASE, ODI IDENTIFIED 76 OWNER COMPLAINTS AND 6,582 WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION FROM EITHER A FAULTY SIDE-IMPACT AIRBAG MODULE OR WIRING HARNESS. TO DATE..." 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 PORSCHE files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
DURING THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PHASE, ODI IDENTIFIED 76 OWNER COMPLAINTS AND 6,582 WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION FROM EITHER A FAULTY SIDE-IMPACT AIRBAG MODULE OR WIRING HARNESS. TO DATE, THERE HAS BEEN NO ALLEGATION OF CRASH, INJURY OR DEATH REPORTED. PORSCHE REPORTS THAT A BAD BATCH OF MODULES WAS PRODUCED DURING MID-NOVEMBER TO MID-DECEMBER, 2003. HOWEVER, PORSCHE¿S WARRANTY DATA INDICATES THAT MOST OF THE MODULES REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY WERE ON VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE AND AFTER THIS PERIOD INDICATING THAT THE ISSUE COULD BE MORE WIDESPREAD. PORSCHE REPORTS THAT THE WIRING HARNESS MALFUNCTION IS DUE TO A FAULTY CONNECTOR LEADING TO THE AIRBAG MODULE AS A RESULT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND MECHANICAL STRESS. IN JUNE AND NOVEMBER OF 2004, PORSCHE ADDED A PROTECTIVE COAT OF LUBRICANT GEL TO THE CONNECTOR AND REROUTED THE HARNESS TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON ALL FUTURE PRODUCTION. PORSCHE HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL CAMPAIGN, BUT IT HAS CIRCULATED TO ITS DEALERS TWO SERVICE BULLETINS, BOTH IN SEPTEMBER 2004 TO ADDRESS THE ABOVE ISSUES. THIS INVESTIGATION IS BEING UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA06-005) AND WILL INCLUDE MY 2006 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 PORSCHE Investigations
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. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.