NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA02-020: DRIVER'S AIR BAG SYSTEM FAILURE

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA02-020 on August 29, 2002 and closed it on March 3, 2003. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2002 Nissan Xterra for it and links recall 03V-061 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: EA02-020 (also written EA02020)
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 March 3, 2003
Opened: August 29, 2002
Closed: March 3, 2003
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Component: Air Bags — Frontal
Recall linked by NHTSA: 03V-061: NISSAN/AIR BAG MODULE, reported February 27, 2003
Vehicles and equipment: 2002 Nissan Xterra

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA02-020.

IN ITS LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 21, 2003 TO NHTSA, NISSAN STATED THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF APPROXIMATELY 27,385 MY 2002 NISSAN XTERRA VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM 6/12/01 (START OF PRODUCTION) TO 11/1/01 AS WELL AS APPROXIMATELY 37,177 MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM 6/13/01 (START OF PRODUCTION) TO 10/25/01.

VEHICLES MANUFACTURED AFTER THESE DATES ARE NOT AFFECTED.NISSAN STATED THAT THE CLOCKSPRING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR MAY NOT BE FULLY SECURED TO THE DRIVER-SIDE AIR BAG MODULE SQUIB PIN CONNECTOR DUE TO THE RETAINING GROOVE IN THE MODULE NOT HAVING SUFFICIENT DEPTH TO HOLD THE CONNECTOR IN THE ASSEMBLED POSITION.A RETAINING CLIP WILL BE INSTALLED ON THE CLOCKSPRING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR.SEE RECALL 03V-061 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA02-020. 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.

Nissan

Nissan Xterra
- 2002

All Nissan 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.

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

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA02-020

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.