NHTSA safety investigation
NHTSA Investigation PE03014
Preliminary Evaluation · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
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.
What NHTSA is examining
The agency's own description of the inquiry, quoted as published
IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK SYSTEM
SIX OF THE ODI COMPLAINTS ARE DUPLICATIVE OF THE MANUFACTURER COMPLAINTS, AS WELL AS FOUR OF THE CRASHES.THE NOTED INJURY OCCURRED WHEN A ROLLAWAY VEHICLE THAT HAD BEEN INADVERTENTLY PARKED IN NEUTRAL STRUCK THE EXITING OPERATOR.THE WARRANTY CLAIM COUNT SHOWN FOR OTHER REPRESENTS INCIDENTS WHERE HONDA'S ANALYSIS OF CLAIM DETAIL INDICATES THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM UTILIZES A LEVER TO BLOCK IGNITION KEY REMOVAL WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT IN PARK.HONDA HAS IDENTIFIED A WEAR CONDITION OF THE INTERLOCK LEVER THAT CAN CAUSE THE SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION; WHEN WEAR OCCURS THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE SHIFTER IS IN A NON-PARK POSITION.HONDA DOCUMENTS INDICATE THAT A MANUFACTURING PROCESS MAY BE THE CAUSE OF INTERLOCK LEVER WEAR, AND THAT THIS PROCESS WAS REVISED IN JANUARY OF 2001.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS WILL BE OPENED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS CONCERN AND ITS SCOPE.
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
- PE03014
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation (PE)
- Status
- Closed
- Manufacturer
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
- Component
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
- Opened
- Apr 15, 2003
- Closed
- Sep 5, 2003
- 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.