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NHTSA safety investigation

NHTSA Investigation EA03024

Engineering Analysis · Subaru of America, Inc. · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ClosedEngineering Analysis

An investigation is not a finding that a defect exists.

NHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.

Model years namedModel years in our database that NHTSA associated with this inquiry. Being named in an investigation says nothing about whether an individual vehicle has any problem.
2
1 model
Opened
Nov 19, 2003
Engineering Analysis
Closed
Jul 12, 2005
No associated recall recorded

What NHTSA is examining

The agency's own description of the inquiry, quoted as published

EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES

DURING THE EA, ODI AND VRTC PERFORMED THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:1.CONDUCTED A MAIL SURVEY OF 246 SUBJECT VEHICLE OWNERS TODETERMINE THE ROADWAY SURFACE THAT CAUSED OWNERS' CONCERN;2.INTERVIEWED COMPLAINING OWNERS;3.CONDUCTED FIELD INSPECTIONS OF SEVEN (7) COMPLAINT VEHICLES;4.INSTRUMENTED TESTING AT VRTC OF COMPLAINT AND PEER VEHICLES;5.REVIEWED SUBARU'S RESPONSE TO OUR INFORMATION REQUEST;6.MET WITH SUBARU FOR TECHNICAL REVIEW OF TESTINGAS A RESULT OF THE WORK CONDUCTED BY VRTC AND ODI DURING THIS INVESTIGAITON, A CONSISTENT OR CHRONIC PATTERN OF POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED.VRTC CONDUCTED OVER 11,500 BRAKE TESTS.THEY DID NOT OBSERVE ANY LONG-DURATION, LOW DECELERATION EVENTS (SOME OWNERS REPORTED DELAYS OF 4 TO 10 SECONDS) IN THE TEST VEHICLES.SEE ODI'S CLOSING REPORT AND VRTC'S TEST REPORT FOR FULL DETAILS

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.

Investigation details

Identifiers, dates and outcome as recorded by NHTSA

Action number
EA03024
Investigation type
Engineering Analysis (EA)
Status
Closed
Manufacturer
Subaru of America, Inc.
Component
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Opened
Nov 19, 2003
Closed
Jul 12, 2005
Associated recall campaign
None recorded

Vehicles named in this investigation

2 model years across 1 model

Being named here means NHTSA included the vehicle in the scope of its inquiry. It is not a statement that these vehicles have a defect.