Investigations
UNEXPECTED LIFTGATE CLOSING
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE06029 - closed, opened 2006-08-02.
NHTSA investigation PE06029 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2006-08-02 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2006-12-01 - 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 PE06029 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 LIFTGATE GAS STRUTS FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY HAVE DAMAGED GAS SEALS THAT ALLOW THE LIFTGATE TO DROP UNEXPECTEDLY. THE RATES FOR COMPLAINTS, ALLEGED INJURIES AND WARRANTY CLAIMS ARE HIGHER FOR VEHICLES WITH THE PO..." 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 LIFTGATE GAS STRUTS FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY HAVE DAMAGED GAS SEALS THAT ALLOW THE LIFTGATE TO DROP UNEXPECTEDLY. THE RATES FOR COMPLAINTS, ALLEGED INJURIES AND WARRANTY CLAIMS ARE HIGHER FOR VEHICLES WITH THE POWER LIFTGATE OPTION. THE POWER LIFTGATE MAY AUTOMATICALLY POWER-CLOSE AT THE COMPLETION OF A POWER-OPEN COMMAND WITHOUT INPUT FROM THE OPERATOR. SOME OWNERS ARE CAUGHT UNAWARE OF THE POWER-CLOSE OPERATION WHILE UNDER THE REAR LIFTGATE DOOR. ODI HAS UPGRADED THE INVESTIGATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA06-020) AND MODIFIED THE SCOPE TO INCLUDE ONLY THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WITH THE POWER LIFTGATE OPTION.
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.