Investigations
TIRE FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE06027 - closed, opened 2006-07-13.
NHTSA investigation PE06027 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2006-07-13 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2006-12-27 - 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 PE06027 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 JULY 13, 2006, ODI OPENED PE06-027 TO INVESTIGATE HIGH PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAIMS RATES IN THE SUBJECT TIRES IN THE EARLY WARNING REPORTING DATA SUPPLIED BY COOPER TIRE. ANALYSIS OF THE INCIDENT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED..." 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
ON JULY 13, 2006, ODI OPENED PE06-027 TO INVESTIGATE HIGH PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAIMS RATES IN THE SUBJECT TIRES IN THE EARLY WARNING REPORTING DATA SUPPLIED BY COOPER TIRE. ANALYSIS OF THE INCIDENT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY COOPER IN PE06-027 FOR THE SUBJECT TIRES AND PEER TIRES OF SIMILAR SIZE AND LOAD RATING SHOWS THAT THE SUBJECT TIRES HAVE THE HIGHEST PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAIMS RATE OF LT265/75R16 TIRES PRODUCED BY COOPER FROM 2003 THROUGH 2005 (CONFIDENTIAL). COOPER INDICATED THAT THE HIGH CLAIMS RATE WAS CAUSED BY: (1) THE DISPROPORTIONATE SALE OF SUBJECT TIRES IN HOT STATES; AND (2) A LIBERAL CLAIMS POLICY BY THE RETAILER WHO WAS THE EXCLUSIVE SELLER OF THE SUBJECT TIRES. COOPER ALSO STATED THAT OTHER TIRES MADE USING THE SAME DESIGN AND MATERIALS ("COMMON GREEN" TIRES), BUT SOLD BY DIFFERENT RETAILERS, SHOWED MUCH LOWER FAILURE EXPERIENCE AS MEASURED BY PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAIMS. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA06-021) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE FREQUENCY AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE TIRE FAILURE EXPERIENCE IN THE SUBJECT TIRES AND TO ASSESS THE DATA FURNISHED BY COOPER IN RESPONSE TO PE06-027.
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.