NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Engineering Analysis EA03-021: FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA03-021 on November 4, 2003 and closed it on October 19, 2004. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac Grand Am for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EA03-021 (also written EA03021)
- 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 October 19, 2004
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- General Motors, LLC
- Components
- Suspension; Suspension — Front; Suspension — Front — Springs — Coil Springs
- Vehicles and equipment
- Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac Grand Am
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA03-021.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
THE FAILURE RATE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS LOW RELATIVE TO PAST ODI INVESTIGATIONS.THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS THEREFORE CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED.PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED REPORT FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA03-021. 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 Malibu
Pontiac
Pontiac Grand Am
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.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for EA03-021
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.