NHTSA safety investigation
NHTSA Investigation PE04032
Preliminary Evaluation · General Motors, LLC · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
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
BRAKE LAMP FAILURE
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION ON MODEL YEAR (MY) 2002-04 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER VEHICLES.GM REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES SHARING THIS PLATFORM AND BRAKE LAMP DESIGN ARE THE MY 2002-2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT; GMC ENVOY, XL, XUV; OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA AND 2004 BUICK RAINIER.COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT THE REAR BRAKE LAMP DOES NOT OPERATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.THERE IS NO INDICATION TO THE DRIVER FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE THAT ONE OR MORE BRAKE LAMPS BULBS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING.GM FOUND THAT HEAT FROM THE BULB COULD DEFORM THE LAMP SOCKET, PRODUCE ELECTRICAL ARCING AND AN INOPERATIVE BULB.TO CORRECT THE CONDITION, GM CHANGED THE BULB TO A BULB THAT TRANSMITS LESS HEAT TO THE SOCKET AND CHANGED THE SOCKET TO A THERMOPLASTIC POLYMER TO IMPROVE THERMAL STABILITY.THESE CHANGES WERE IMPLEMENTED INTO PRODUCTION VEHICLES ON OCTOBER 1, 2003.GM IMPLEMENTED A SPECIAL POLICY BY NOTIFYING CONSUMERS THAT IF THEY SHOULD EXPERIENCE A BRAKE LAMP FAILURE TO GO TO THEIR GM DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE CIRCUIT BOARD CONTAINING THE BRAKE LAMP REPLACED ALONG WITH NEW BULBS.THIS POLICY IS GOOD FOR THE FIRST 6 YEARS OR 72,000 MILES OF THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.ODI WILL UPGRADE THIS INVESTIGATION TO EA 04-021 AND INCLUDE THE ABOVE MENTIONED VEHICLES.
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
- PE04032
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation (PE)
- Status
- Closed
- Manufacturer
- General Motors, LLC
- Component
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
- Opened
- Apr 6, 2004
- Closed
- Aug 3, 2004
- Associated recall campaign
- None recorded
Vehicles named in this investigation
3 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.