NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Preliminary Evaluation PE03-049: TAILGATE CABLE BREAKAGE

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE03-049 on October 23, 2003 and closed it on February 19, 2004. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1999–2002 Chevrolet Silverado for it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: PE03-049 (also written PE03049)
Investigation type: Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
Status: Closed February 19, 2004
Opened: October 23, 2003
Closed: February 19, 2004
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Component: Latches/Locks/Linkages — Tailgate — Latch
Vehicles and equipment: 1999–2002 Chevrolet Silverado

A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE03-049.

DURING THE PE, ODIDISCOVERED THAT ONE OR BOTH OF THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES CAN BREAK DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF METAL FATIGUE AT THE POINT WHERE THE CABLE FLEXES WHEN THE LIFT GATE IS OPENED AND CLOSED. CONCURRENTLY, THE STRENGTH OF THE CABLE DEGRADES OVER TIME DUE TO CORROSION OF THE WIRE STRANDS IN THE SUPPORT CABLES.WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND CARGO IS BEING LOADED OR UNLOADED, THE TAILGATE CAN TIP DOWNWARD DISPLACING CARGO AND/OR PEOPLE TO THE GROUND WITHOUT WARNING.ODI IS ALSO AWARE OF ONE TOTAL SEPARATION OF THE TAILGATE FROM THE VEHICLE.OWNERS CANNOT EASILY DETECT WHETHER THE SUPPORT CABES ARE DAMAGED OR CORRODED BECAUSE THEY ARE COVERED BY A PROTECTIVE SHEATH.ODI IS UPGRADING THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION FOR FURTHER APPROPRIATE ACTION.MODEL YEAR 2003 VEHICLES WILL BE ADDED TO THE INVESTIGATION.FURTHER, WE WILL INCUDE ADDITIONAL VEHICLES, THOSE BEING THE AVALANCHE AND CADILLAC EXT, MODEL YEARS 2002-2003, AND THE SIERRA, MODEL YEARS 1999-2003.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE03-049. 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.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet Silverado
- 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002

All Chevrolet 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.

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

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for PE03-049

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.