Investigations
REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE08040 - closed, opened 2008-07-02 and involving the HYUNDAI HYUNDAI.
NHTSA investigation PE08040 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2008-07-02 and currently closed. The subject of record is HYUNDAI HYUNDAI, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for HYUNDAI. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2008-10-29 - 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 PE08040 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: "IN RESPONSE TO AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER SENT BY THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) DURING THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, HYUNDAI PROVIDED ODI WITH 15 ALLEGATIONS OF CORROSION FAILURE OF THE LEFT- AND/OR RIGHT-R..." 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 HYUNDAI files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
IN RESPONSE TO AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER SENT BY THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) DURING THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, HYUNDAI PROVIDED ODI WITH 15 ALLEGATIONS OF CORROSION FAILURE OF THE LEFT- AND/OR RIGHT-REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM. THREE OF THE 15 CONSUMERS ALLEGED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AS A RESULT OF A REAR TRAILING ARM CORROSION FAILURE. SIMILARLY, ODI HAS RECEIVED 12 COMPLAINTS OF REAR TRAILING ARM FAILURE (ONE IS A DUPLICATE OF A COMPLAINT FILED WITH HYUNDAI). OF THE 12 ODI COMPLAINTS, 4 CONSUMERS ALLEGE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. IN TOTAL, ODI IS AWARE OF 26 CONSUMER ALLEGATIONS OF REAR TRAILING ARM CORROSION FAILURES AND 7 ALLEGATIONS THAT THE FAILURES AFFECTED VEHICLE CONTROL. ALL OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN OPERATED PRIMARILY IN "SALT BELT" STATES (CONNECTICUT, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VIRGINIA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN AND WEST VIRGINIA). HYUNDAI IMPLEMENTED A DESIGN CHANGE IN THE MODEL YEAR 2003 PRODUCTION TO ADDRESS THE CORROSION ISSUE. THUS, THE SCOPE OF THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS WILL BE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN MYS 2001 THROUGH 2003 AND SOLD IN SALT BELT STATES. THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA08-023) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT.
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 HYUNDAI Investigations
Inadvertent Seat Belt Unlatch
3.3L Engine Loss of Motive Power (LOMP)
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
Loss of Motive Power
Windshield Wiper Failure
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.