NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA03-024: EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA03-024 on November 19, 2003 and closed it on July 12, 2005. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2002–2003 Subaru WRX for it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: EA03-024 (also written EA03024)
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 July 12, 2005
Opened: November 19, 2003
Closed: July 12, 2005
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Component: Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Vehicles and equipment: 2002–2003 Subaru WRX

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 EA03-024.

try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.

DURING THE EA, ODI AND VRTC PERFORMED THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:1.CONDUCTED A MAIL SURVEY OF 246 SUBJECT VEHICLE OWNERS TODETERMINE THE ROADWAY SURFACE THAT CAUSED OWNERS' CONCERN;2.INTERVIEWED COMPLAINING OWNERS;3.CONDUCTED FIELD INSPECTIONS OF SEVEN (7) COMPLAINT VEHICLES;4.INSTRUMENTED TESTING AT VRTC OF COMPLAINT AND PEER VEHICLES;5.REVIEWED SUBARU'S RESPONSE TO OUR INFORMATION REQUEST;6.MET WITH SUBARU FOR TECHNICAL REVIEW OF TESTINGAS A RESULT OF THE WORK CONDUCTED BY VRTC AND ODI DURING THIS INVESTIGAITON, A CONSISTENT OR CHRONIC PATTERN OF POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED.VRTC CONDUCTED OVER 11,500 BRAKE TESTS.THEY DID NOT OBSERVE ANY LONG-DURATION, LOW DECELERATION EVENTS (SOME OWNERS REPORTED DELAYS OF 4 TO 10 SECONDS) IN THE TEST VEHICLES.SEE ODI'S CLOSING REPORT AND VRTC'S TEST REPORT FOR FULL DETAILS

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA03-024. 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.

Subaru

Subaru WRX
- 2002, 2003

All Subaru 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.

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

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA03-024

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.