Investigations
DRIVER SEAT ANCHOR FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE08065 - closed, opened 2008-11-18.
NHTSA investigation PE08065 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2008-11-18 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2009-07-02 - 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 PE08065 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: "THIS INVESTIGATION CONCERNS STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE ANCHOR/BRACKET ON THE LEFT REAR SIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE CONCERN IS THAT SUCH FAILURES MAY ALTER THE DRIVER'S SEATED POSITION SO AS TO REDUCE EFFECTIVENESS OF T..." 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
THIS INVESTIGATION CONCERNS STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE ANCHOR/BRACKET ON THE LEFT REAR SIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE CONCERN IS THAT SUCH FAILURES MAY ALTER THE DRIVER'S SEATED POSITION SO AS TO REDUCE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OCCUPANT PROTECTION SYSTEM OR POTENTIALLY COMPROMISE VEHICLE CONTROL. FAILURE OF THE SUBJECT ANCHOR BRACKET RESULTS FROM METAL FATIGUE AND CAUSES REARWARD TILTING OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THESE FAILURES USUALLY OCCUR DURING DRIVER INGRESS BUT MAY ALSO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED. THE SAFETY RELATED CONCERNS DURING ACTUAL VEHICLE USE WERE NOT VALIDATED BY THIS INVESTIGATION. WHILE THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM IS RELATIVELY HIGH, ONLY THREE VERY MINOR, UNDOCUMENTED INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE REPORTED INJURIES OCCURRED DURING DRIVER INGRESS, NOT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE APPARENT RISK OF COMPROMISE TO VEHICLE CONTROL HAS NOT BEEN DEMONSTRATED. INVESTIGATION ALSO DISCLOSED THAT THE APPARENT RISK OF COLLAPSE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK HAS NOT BEEN DEMONSTRATED A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT TREND WAS NOT IDENTIFIED AND THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN CLOSED.
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.