NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA12-008: Headliner Bracket Detachment

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA12-008 on September 13, 2012 and closed it on December 9, 2013. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2011–2013 Hyundai Elantra for it and links recall 13V-115 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: EA12-008 (also written EA12008)
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 December 9, 2013
Opened: September 13, 2012
Closed: December 9, 2013
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Components: Air Bags — Side/Window; Structure — Body — Roof and Pillars; Unknown or Other
Recall linked by NHTSA: 13V-115: Headliner Support Bracket may cause Injury, reported April 1, 2013
Vehicles and equipment: 2011–2013 Hyundai Elantra

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA12-008.

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

In March 2013, Hyundai issued a safety recall to reinforce the attachment of the metal support brackets to the headliner assembly in approximately 186,254 model year 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra vehicles built in Korea and sold in the U.S. (see NHTSA recall 13V-115 for more information).

The recall covers vehicles built up to March 5, 2013.

After that date, Hyundai began using headliners with reinforced bracket attachments in the Korea-built Elantra vehicles.

ODI has opened a Recall Query (RQ13-004) to investigate model year 2009-2012 Hyundai Elantra Touring vehicles.

During EA12-008, ODI found these vehicles are equipped with a support bracket design and layout similar to that in the above-mentioned Elantra vehicles.

Also, the headliner manufacturing processes used were similar for both models.

Like the Elantra vehicles built before the recall, the Elantra Touring model headliner does not contain reinforced bracket attachments.

This Engineering Analysis is closed.

See attached report for additional information.

The ODI report cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification number: 10457696

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA12-008. 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.

Hyundai

Hyundai Elantra
- 2011, 2012, 2013

All Hyundai 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.

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

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA12-008

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.