Investigations
TURN SIGNAL FAILURES
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE97018 - closed, opened 1997-04-29 and involving the TOYOTA TOYOTA.
NHTSA investigation PE97018 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 1997-04-29 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 1997-07-22 - 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 PE97018 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: "CONSUMERS ALLEGE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FUNCTIONS FAIL WHILE DRIVING. TOYOTA DEALERS HAVE REPLACED TURN SIGNAL SWITCHES, BUT IN ONE INSTANCE THE NEW SWITCH STILL FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER MECHANICS INSTRUCTED THE..." 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
CONSUMERS ALLEGE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FUNCTIONS FAIL WHILE DRIVING. TOYOTA DEALERS HAVE REPLACED TURN SIGNAL SWITCHES, BUT IN ONE INSTANCE THE NEW SWITCH STILL FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER MECHANICS INSTRUCTED THE OWNER TO TURN THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH ON/OFF TO "RESET" THE SWITCH. THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH IS CONNECTED IN-LINE WITH THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH, THUS AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH CAN RESULT A LOSS OF POWER TO THE TURN SIGNAL, WITH A RESULTANT FAILURE OF THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH TO FUNCTION.
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.