NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Engineering Analysis EA06-014: LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA06-014 on August 2, 2006 and closed it on February 28, 2007. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Toyota Sequoia and Tundra for it and links recall 07V-013 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EA06-014 (also written EA06014)
- 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 February 28, 2007
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Toyota Motor Corporation
- Component
- Suspension — Front — Control Arm — Lower Ball Joint
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 07V-013: FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- Toyota Sequoia and Tundra
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA06-014.
IN A LETTER DATED JANUARY 18, 2007, TOYOTA NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2004 THROUGH 2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA AND MY 2004 THROUGH 2007 TOYOTA SEQUOIA VEHICLES PRODUCED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 15, 2003 AND NOVEMBER 17, 2006 (NHTSA RECALL NO. 07V-013). ACCORDING TO TOYOTA, ?IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, DUE TO POSSIBLE IMPROPER FINISHING OF THE BALL JOINT, SUCH AS THE ASPECT OF THE BALL STUD SURFACE, SOME BALL JOINTS MAY EXPERIENCE AN INCIDENTAL DETERIORATION OF THE INTERNAL LUBRICATION. THIS MAY CAUSE THE BALL JOINT TO WEAR AND LOOSEN PREMATURELY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN INCREASED STEERING EFFORT, REDUCED VEHICLE SELF-CENTERING, AND NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. IN EXTREME CASES, IF THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUOUSLY OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, THE LOWER BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE AND COULD CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.?TOYOTA WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO ANY TOYOTA DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS. THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN CLOSED, AS TOYOTA IS RECALLING THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.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 EA06-014. 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.
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 EA06-014
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.