NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA00-009: FRONT LAP BELT MALFUNCTION

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA00-009 on March 16, 2000, the day it closed Preliminary Evaluation PE99-076, which this investigation's summary cites, and closed it on April 18, 2000. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1997–2000 Chevrolet Corvette for it and links recall 00V-111 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: EA00-009 (also written EA00009)
Investigation type: Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
Status: Closed April 18, 2000
Opened: March 16, 2000
Closed: April 18, 2000
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Component: Seat Belts
Recall linked by NHTSA: 00V-111: GM/LAP BELT WEBBING, reported April 17, 2000
Vehicles and equipment: 1997–2000 Chevrolet Corvette

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA00-009.

ODI OPENED THIS EA00-009 ON MARCH 16, 2000, TO CONTINUE ANALYSES BEGUN UNDER PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE99-076.

THE ALLEGED DEFECT: LAP BELT WEBBING IN BOTH SEATING POSITIONS TENDS TO FOLD OVER WHILE ENTERING THE RETRACTOR OPENING.THESE FOLDS FREQUENTLY IMPEDE PROPER WEBBING RETRACTION.IF THE RETRACTOR HAS BEEN INADVERTENTLY TOGGLED INTO AUTOMATIC LOCK RETRACTOR (ALR) MODE BY BEING EXTENDED TO ITS FULL LENGTH, IT MAY FAIL TO RESET ITSELF TO THE NORMAL EMERGENCY LOCK RETRACTOR (ELR) MODE.SUCH A CONDITION HAS BEEN SHOWN TO RENDER THE ACTIVE RESTRAINT UNUSABLE.CONCLUSION: GM WILL REMEDY THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN 71,569 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO AUGUST 1999 BY ADDING WEBBING GUIDE INSERTS TO THE LAP RETRACTOR OPENINGS OF BOTH SEATING POSITIONS TO PREVENT THE ADMISSION OF FOLDED WEBBING ONTO THE RETRACTOR SPOOL.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN CLOSED.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA00-009. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet Corvette
- 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000

All Chevrolet recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Chevrolet VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA00-009

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.