NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Preliminary Evaluation PE06-022: SRS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE06-022 on June 19, 2006 and closed it on October 30, 2006. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2004–2005 Volkswagen Touareg for it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: PE06-022 (also written PE06022)
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 October 30, 2006
Opened: June 19, 2006
Closed: October 30, 2006
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Components: Air Bags; Air Bags — Side/Window
Vehicles and equipment: 2004–2005 Volkswagen Touareg

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 PE06-022.

MY 2004-05 (TO 11/2004) TOUAREG VEHICLES HAVE A POTENTIALLY FAULTY/LOOSE SIDE AIR BAG WIRING CONNECTOR THAT CAN CAUSE THE WIRING CIRCUIT RESISTANCE TO EXCEED THE DESIGN LIMIT AND ILLUMINATE THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) AIR BAG LIGHT.ON 02/2005, VW ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB #69-05-02) TO ADDRESS THIS CONDITION BY REPLACING THE CONNECTOR WITH A DIRECT CONNECTION.VW'S TESTING HAS SHOWN THAT PROPER DEPLOYMENT OF THE SIDE AIR BAG IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE CONNECTOR FAULT.HOWEVER, THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF WARRANTY CLAIMS DUE TO AIR BAG LIGHT (ABL) ILLUMINATION.VW IS PLANNING TO INITIATE A TOUAREG SERVICE PACK/ CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN (CSC) IN DECEMBER 2006.

VW WILL REPLACE THE SIDE AIR BAG WIRING CONNECTOR WITH A DIRECT CONNECTION ON ALL REMAINING UNCORRECTED VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO 11/2004.

IN ADDITION, VW REPORTS THAT A SMALL NUMBER OF VEHICLES BUILT IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 2003, MAY CONTAIN AN INCORRECTLY MANUFACTURED SIDE AIR BAG MODULE.THIS ALSO MAY PRODUCE ABL ILLUMINATION THAT WOULD BECOME EVIDENT SOON AFTER THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO SERVICE.WARRANTY DATA INDICATES THAT THESE MODULES HAVE BEEN CORRECTED AND NO LONGER PRESENT A RISK.VW HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY ALLEGED SIDE AIR BAG NON-DEPLOYMENT REPORT.ACTION TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE06-022. 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.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen Touareg
- 2004, 2005

All Volkswagen 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.

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

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for PE06-022

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.