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NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA06-020: UNEXPECTED CLOSING OF POWER LIFTGATE

  • Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA06-020 on December 1, 2006, the day it closed Preliminary Evaluation PE06-029, whose summary cites it, and closed it on June 25, 2008. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2004–2006 Toyota Sienna for it and links recall 08V-244 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number
EA06-020 (also written EA06020)
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 June 25, 2008
Opened
Closed
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
Toyota Motor Corporation
Components
Latches/Locks/Linkages — Hatchback/Liftgate — Lock; Structure — Body — Hatchback/Liftgate; Structure — Body — Hatchback/Liftgate — Hinge and Attachments; Structure — Body — Hatchback/Liftgate — Support Device/Strut
Recall linked by NHTSA
  • 08V-244: POWER REAR LIFTGATE, reported
Vehicles and equipment
2004–2006 Toyota Sienna

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA06-020.

ON MAY 30, 2008, TOYOTA INITIATED A SAFETY RECALL TO REPLACE THE LIFTGATE STRUTS IN APPROXIMATELY 196,000 MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 TOYOTA SIENNA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH POWER LIFTGATES (RECALL 08V-244).

THE RECALL WILL PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR VEHICLE OWNERS TO OBTAIN NEW STRUTS THAT ARE MORE ROBUST.BASED ON THESE ACTIONS, THE AGENCY HAS DECIDED TO CLOSE THE INVESTIGATION.WHILE TOYOTA HAS NOT MADE A DECISION THAT THE RECALLED VEHICLES CONTAIN A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT, IN VIEW OF THE RECALL, FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY'S RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ANY FINDING BY NHTSA.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA06-020. 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

All Toyota 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.

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

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA06-020

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.