Investigations
SIDE FRONT WINDOW SHATTERS
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE07049 - closed, opened 2007-09-27 and involving the TOYOTA TOYOTA.
NHTSA investigation PE07049 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2007-09-27 and currently closed. The subject of record is TOYOTA TOYOTA, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for TOYOTA. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2008-02-05 - 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 PE07049 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 VEHICLE IS MANUFACTURED BY NEW UNITED MOTOR MANUFACTURING, INC. (NUMMI) IN FREMONT, CALIFORNIA. NUMMI IS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN GENERAL MOTORS AND TOYOTA. TOYOTA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RESPONDING TO THIS NHTSA I..." 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 TOYOTA files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
THE SUBJECT VEHICLE IS MANUFACTURED BY NEW UNITED MOTOR MANUFACTURING, INC. (NUMMI) IN FREMONT, CALIFORNIA. NUMMI IS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN GENERAL MOTORS AND TOYOTA. TOYOTA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RESPONDING TO THIS NHTSA INVESTIGATION. TOYOTA REPORTS THAT ITS EVALUATION IS INCOMPLETE AT THIS TIME, HOWEVER; TOYOTA HAS IDENTIFIED TWO ISSUES THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SIDE WINDOW GLASS BREAKING. IN ITS JANUARY 11, 2008 LETTER TO ODI, TOYOTA STATED THAT "A MAJORITY OF THE REPORTS INCLUDED IN THIS RESPONSE ARE MOST LIKELY RELATED TO THE LOOSENING OF THE WINDOW REGULATOR BOLTS." THE SECOND ISSUE IS, "LESS PREDOMINANTLY, THE INTERFERENCE OF THE SIDE WINDOW GLASS WITH THE DOOR CHECK LINK...." ODI HAS RECEIVED 46 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER POWER FRONT WINDOW SHATTERED, AND/OR THE WINDOW MAKES A POPPING/CLICKING NOISE DURING OPERATION. A LOOSENING OF THE WINDOW REGULATOR BOLTS MAY PRODUCT A POPPING NOISE WHILE OPERATING THE WINDOW. THE POWER WINDOW SYSTEM IN THE VIBE IS ALSO USED IN THE TOYOTA COROLLA AND THE TOYOTA COROLLA MATRIX. TOYOTA IDENTIFIED 203 COMPLAINTS FOR MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003-2004 PONTIAC VIBE; AND, 254 COMPLAINTS FOR MY 2003-2004 TOYOTA COROLLA AND TOYOTA COROLLA MATRIX ALLEGING THAT THE SIDE FRONT POWER WINDOW SHATTERED AND/OR MADE A POPPING/CLICKING NOISE DURING OPERATION. TOYOTA IS STILL MONITORING AND EVALUATING THIS ISSUE. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA08-004) TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE .
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 TOYOTA Investigations
Brake Actuator Valve Wear
Electrical problems / No-start
Joyson Passenger Side Air Bag Cushion
Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
Brake Actuator Valve Wear
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.