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NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA05-010: SEATBELT MALFUNCTION

  • Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA05-010 on June 13, 2005, the day it closed Preliminary Evaluation PE05-008, whose summary cites it, and closed it on August 2, 2005. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2004–2005 Toyota Sienna for it and links recall 05V-327 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number
EA05-010 (also written EA05010)
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 August 2, 2005
Opened
Closed
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
Toyota Motor Corporation
Components
Seat Belts; Seat Belts — Rear/Other
Recall linked by NHTSA
  • 05V-327: PASSENGER SEAT BELT, reported
Vehicles and equipment
2004–2005 Toyota Sienna

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA05-010.

THE SHOULDER PORTION OF THE MIDDLE-ROW SEATBELT WEBBING FEEDS THROUGH AN OPENING IN THE SEATBELT BEZEL LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE SEAT.THE BEZEL ALSO CONTAINS A CLIP THAT COVERS A NARROW SLOT IN THE BEZEL.THE CLIP MAY BECOME DISLODGED FROM USE AND ALLOW THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME STUCK IN THE NARROW SLOT EXPOSED BY THE DISLODGED CLIP. IN ADDITION TO ODI'S 10 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS, TOYOTA'S LETTER RESPONSE TO THE AGENCY IDENTIFIES 40 OTHER CONSUMER AND FIELD REPORTS AND 3,089 WARRANTY REPAIRS THAT REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SEATBELT BEZEL AND/OR CLIP.A STUCK OR JAMMED SEATBELT DOES NOT OFFER PROPER OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.TOYOTA HAS NOTIFIED THE AGENCY BY LETTER DATED JULY 19, 2005 (AMENDED IN LETTER DATED JULY 22, 2005), THAT IT WILL RECALL 345,443 MY 2004-2005 7-PASSENGER AND 8-PASSENGER SIENNA VEHICLES BUILT FROM THE START OF PRODUCTION UP TO MAY 18, 2005.

TOYOTA DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEATBELT BEZEL AND CLIP WITH AN IMPROVED DESIGN ON ALL VEHICLES.VEHICLES PRODUCED BEGINNING MAY 18 ALREADY HAVE THE IMPROVED SEATBELT BEZEL AND CLIP.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA05-010. 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

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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 EA05-010

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.