NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Engineering Analysis EA04-024: BALL JOINT SEPARATION
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA04-024 on August 20, 2004 and closed it on July 8, 2005. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2002 Toyota Tundra for it and links recall 05V-225 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EA04-024 (also written EA04024)
- 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 8, 2005
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Toyota Motor Corporation
- Components
- Suspension; Suspension — Front — Control Arm; Suspension — Front — Control Arm — Lower Arm; Suspension — Front — Control Arm — Lower Ball Joint
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 05V-225: BALL JOINT FAILURE, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2002 Toyota Tundra
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA04-024.
ODI RECEIVED 3 CONSUMER REPORTS OF ALLEGED BALL JOINT SEPARATION ON MY 2002 TUNDRA VEHICLES.THE COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT A FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINT SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING, WHICH CAUSED THE SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE AND RESULTED IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.BASED ON THESE COMPLAINTS, ODI OPENED PE02-040 AND LATER UPGRADED TO EA04-024 FOR MY 2002 TUNDRA VEHICLES.DURING EA04-024, ADDITIONAL FAILURE DATA WAS IDENTIFIED AS NOTED IN THE FAILURE REPORT SUMMARY ABOVE. ON MAY 16, 2005, TOYOTA NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT ON MY 2002-2004 TUNDRA AND SEQUOIA VEHICLES (PRODUCED BETWEEN AUGUST 1, 2001 AND SEPTEMBER 30, 2003), MY 2001-2004 TACOMA VEHICLES (PRODUCED BETWEEN JULY 31, 2001 AND DECEMBER 23, 2003), AND MY 2001-2002 4RUNNER VEHICLES (PRODUCED BETWEEN MAY 22, 2001 AND AUGUST 23, 2002).
THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ISSUE WITH THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS (WHICH CONNECT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS TO THE STEERING KNUCKLES OF THE FRONT WHEELS) THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SURFACE OF THE BALL OF THE JOINT MAY HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED.SUCH SCRATCHES MAY RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY ACCELERATED WEAR OF THE JOINT. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA, IF THE [SUBJECT] VEHICLE IS OPERATED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME IN THIS CONDITION, THE BALL JOINT MAY EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND LOOSENESS, RESULTING IN INCREASED STEERING EFFORT, REDUCED VEHICLE SELF-CENTERING, AND NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION.IN EXTREME CASES, WHEN THE DRIVER CONTINUES TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION, THE LOWER BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE CAUSING A LOSS OF VEHICLE STEERING CONTROL. TOYOTA WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO ANY TOYOTA DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA04-024. 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.
Toyota
Toyota Tundra
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.
Toyota VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for EA04-024
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.