NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE04-045: REAR LIFTGATE GLASS ASSEMBLY
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE04-045 on June 2, 2004 and closed it on September 28, 2004. NHTSA's investigations file lists 4 models from 2 makes for it and links recall 04V-442 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE04-045 (also written PE04045)
- 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 September 28, 2004
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Component
- Structure — Body — Hatchback/Liftgate — Hinge and Attachments
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 04V-442: FORD/REAR LIFTGATE GLASS, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 4 models from 2 makes, including the Ford Explorer and Ford Explorer Sport
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE04-045.
COMPLAINTS REPORT FAILURE OF THE REAR LIFTGATE GLASS SUPPORT WHILE THE OPERATOR IS OPENING OR CLOSING THE GLASS.THE FALLING GLASS CAN STRIKE THE OPERATOR OR BYSTANDER.THE INJURIES REPORTED ARE BRUISES TO THE HEAD, NECK OR BACK, CUTS TO THE FACE, ARM OR HAND.ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2004, FORD NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WILL RECALL APPROXIMATELY 955,732 MY 2002 AND 2003 FORD EXPLORER AND MERCURY MOUNTAINEER VEHICLES TO REPLACE THE LIFTGATE GLASS STRUT BRACKETS AND/OR HINGES.SEE NHTSA RECALL 04V442 FOR DETAILS. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE04-045. 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.
Ford
All Ford recallsMercury
Mercury Mountaineer
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.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE04-045
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.