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NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA08-020: EXHAUST PIPE BURNS

  • Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA08-020 on August 29, 2008, the day it closed Preliminary Evaluation PE08-031, whose summary cites it, and closed it on January 2, 2009. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2007–2008 Mini Cooper S for it and links recall 08V-657 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number
EA08-020 (also written EA08020)
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 January 2, 2009
Opened
Closed
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Component
Engine and Engine Cooling — Exhaust System
Recall linked by NHTSA
  • 08V-657: EXHAUST PIPE TIPS, reported
Vehicles and equipment
2007–2008 Mini Cooper S

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA08-020.

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

BMW WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (08V-657) ON 28,450 MINI COOPER S VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 18, 2006 THROUGH JULY 8, 2008.

DEALERS WILL INSTALL MODIFIED EXHAUST PIPE TIPS THAT DO NOT EXTEND BEYOND THE REAR BUMPER.THE TWO EXHAUST PIPE TIPS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES EXIT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AT THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE AND EXTEND BEYOND THE REAR BUMPER.THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED BEING BURNED ON THEIR LEGS WHEN THEY INADVERTENTLY TOUCHED THE EXPOSED HOT EXHAUST PIPE TIPS WHILE REMOVING ITEMS OF CARGO FROM THE REAR OF THEIR VEHICLE VIA THE HATCH BACK DOOR.SOME COMPLAINANTS REPORTED BEING BURNED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION OR THAT OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WERE ALSO BURNED.THE 50 INJURIES REPORTED IN THIS INVESTIGATION INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT SECOND DEGREE BURNS CAUSING BLISTERED AND SCARED SKIN AND ONE INCIDENT RESULTED IN A THIRD DEGREE BURN.THIS INVESTIGATION ALSO RESULTED IN AN INITIAL DECISION OF A DEFECT.FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE INITIAL DECISION AND DETAILS OF THE INVESTIGATION SEE DOCUMENTS, INRM-EA08020-31646.PDF (INITIAL DECISION LETTER) AND INIR-EA08020-31648.PDF (INITIAL DECISION REPORT), IN THE INVESTIGATION FILE.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA08-020. 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.

Mini

All Mini 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.

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

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA08-020

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.