Investigations
Partial Loss of Exterior Lights
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE13036 - closed, opened 2013-11-04 and involving the VOLKSWAGEN VOLKSWAGEN.
NHTSA investigation PE13036 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2013-11-04 and currently closed. The subject of record is VOLKSWAGEN VOLKSWAGEN, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for VOLKSWAGEN. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2014-02-28 - 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 PE13036 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: "Volkswagen Group of America (VW) is conducting a safety recall of approximately 62,155 model year (MY) 2009-2011 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles to address a partial loss of the exterior lighting (see NHTSA recall 13V-569 for..." 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 VOLKSWAGEN files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
Volkswagen Group of America (VW) is conducting a safety recall of approximately 62,155 model year (MY) 2009-2011 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles to address a partial loss of the exterior lighting (see NHTSA recall 13V-569 for more information). These vehicles' exterior lighting system is protected by two separate fuses contained in a fuse box located in the engine compartment. According to VW, high thermal cycling and soft-coated fuse coating material used at the F16 (also referred to as SB16) location causes movement between the fuse blade and socket, resulting in abrasions on the fuse coating material. This increases resistance and results in overheating of the fuse and disruption of electrical current flow to roughly half of the vehicle's exterior lighting circuits. Examples include loss of one of each of the following: low beam headlight, high beam headlight, brake light, and turn signal light involving the front and rear of the vehicle. VW has stated that the subject F16 fuse in the Tiguan model was used in several other Volkswagen models. According to VW, the temperature of the vehicle's engine and the fuse box varies by vehicle model. ODI found that the complaint and warranty rates for the MY 2009-2010 Tiguan are more than four times greater than that of MY 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta sedans. ODI is aware of VW's plan to take a service action of some, but not all, of the other vehicle models. The action will cover MY 2009-2010 Jetta sedan and MY 2009 GTI vehicles. ODI will monitor complaints to NHTSA on all other Volkswagen models equipped with the same subject fuse and take further action if warranted. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10362206, 10471503, 10490408, 10501271, 10504495, 10508638, 10512642, 10520573, 10521147, 10522909, 10523748, 10526032, 10534679, 10538004, 10538410, 10543629, 10544805, 10545540, 10547334, 10547530, 10547775, 10549584,
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 VOLKSWAGEN Investigations
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
Inadvertent Door Opening
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
LGES High Voltage Battery Failures
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.