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NHTSA safety investigation

NHTSA Investigation PE03031

Preliminary Evaluation · General Motors, LLC · SUSPENSION:FRONT

ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

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
2 models
Opened
Jul 14, 2003
Preliminary Evaluation
Closed
Nov 4, 2003
No associated recall recorded

What NHTSA is examining

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

FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE

THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A COIL SPRING-OVER-STRUT FRONT SUSPENSION WITH THE SPRING ITSELF RESTING IN COMPRESSION BETWEEN TWO POLYMER ISOLATORS.PE03-031 WAS OPENED TO INVESTIGATE REPORTS OF FRACTURE OF THIS SPRING.THE FRACTURES OCCUR IN THE FIRST ACTIVE COIL ABOVE THE LOWER ISOLATOR AND APPARENTLY ORIGINATE IN CORROSION PITS FOUND BENEATH REGIONS OF DAMAGED EPOXY COATING.CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY DATA SHOW THAT THE FAILURES OCCUR PREDOMINANTLY IN THE ?CORROSION STATES? AND TEND TO APPEAR OUTSIDE OF THE STANDARD 36,000 MILE WARRANTY TERM.THESE DATA ALSO SUGGEST THAT THESE FAILURES WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.SLIGHTLY MORE THAN ONE THIRD OF THE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS HAVE INVOLVED THE BROKEN SPRING COIL CONTACTING THE ADJACENT TIRE.ODI IS UPGRADING PE03-031 TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THE SCOPE AND CONSEQUENCES OF THESE FAILURES.

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
PE03031
Investigation type
Preliminary Evaluation (PE)
Status
Closed
Manufacturer
General Motors, LLC
Component
SUSPENSION:FRONT
Opened
Jul 14, 2003
Closed
Nov 4, 2003
Associated recall campaign
None recorded

Vehicles named in this investigation

2 model years across 2 models

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.