NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE11-019: Airbag Clockspring Failure
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE11-019 on May 23, 2011 and closed it on November 7, 2011. NHTSA's investigations file lists 7 Jeep models for it and links recalls 11V-528 and 13V-176 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE11-019 (also written PE11019)
- 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 November 7, 2011
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components
- Air Bags; Air Bags — Frontal; Air Bags — Frontal — Driver Side — Inflator Module; Air Bags — Frontal — Sensor/Control Module-Inactive; Air Bags — Knee Bolster; Air Bags — On-Off Switch Assembly; Air Bags — Side/Window; Air Bags — Side/Window — Curtain
- Recalls linked by NHTSA
- Vehicles and equipment
- 7 Jeep models, including the Wrangler and Wrangler 2-DR 4X4
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE11-019.
In its July 29, 2011 response to ODI's May 27, 2011 information request letter, Chrysler provided 153 MY 2007-2008 owner reports, additional to the 28 ODI Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs), which related to the illumination of the air bag light (ABL) due to a faulty clockspring (CS) wiring circuit.
The right hand drive (RHD) vehicles, which were first produced in MY 2008 and account for only 1% of vehicle production, accounted for 82 of these 181 reports (45%).
The MY2007 left hand drive (LHD) vehicle accounted for 61 of the remaining 92 LHD reports and exhibited a higher complaint rate than the MY 2008 LHD vehicles.
ODI did not identify any incidents of crashes/injuries attributable to the CS circuit failure.
Since May 27, 2011, ODI has received another 32 consumer complaints bringing the total to 213 reports at this closing.
In addition, and for comparative purposes, Chrysler provided another 42 owner reports it received on the MY2006 and MY2009-2010 Wrangler vehicles; these populations showed a lower incident rate than the subject vehicles, especially in comparison to the RHD subject vehicles. Chrysler's investigation showed that the higher rate of RHD Wrangler CS failures were due to a more severe duty cycle for these vehicles which are primarily used by US Postal workers/mail carriers delivering mail in rural regions.
Chrysler concluded the unique vehicle usage, much of which occurs with the driver's window open and under dusty environmental conditions, is the cause of premature CS failure.
Chrysler's analysis also indicated that the somewhat elevated MY2007 LHD rate, which showed a declining failure trend, was the result of start-up production/assembly issues that occurred with the introduction of a new design CS.The new design CS incorporated both dual airbag inflator circuitry and a steering wheel angle sensor (for the electronic stability control system).
On November 1, 2011, Chrysler submitted a defect notice indicating it will conduct a recall of all MY 2008-2012 RHD Wrangler vehicles (11V528).
The estimated 5,334 RHD Wrangler vehicles include the 2,297 MY 2008 RHD Wrangler vehicles, which were the subject of this investigation, plus an additional 3,037 MY 2009-2012 RHD Wrangler vehicles that Chrysler determined potentially have a similar CS concern as the MY 2008 RHD vehicles.
Chrysler intends to replace the existing CS with a yet-to-be-produced improved CS assembly, or an improved steering housing assembly that is less susceptible to dusty environments.
Owner notice is scheduled to begin in November, 2011.
Chrysler also informed ODI that it intends to initiate a consumer satisfaction campaign for MY2007 LHD Wrangler which will extend the CS warranty coverage for 10 years or 150,000 miles.
Accordingly the investigation is closed.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE11-019. 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.
Jeep
Jeep Wrangler
Jeep Wrangler 2-DR 4X4
- 2007, 2008
Jeep Wrangler 2-DR 4X4 RHD
- 2007, 2008
Jeep Wrangler 4-DR 4X2
- 2007, 2008
Jeep Wrangler 4-DR 4X4
Jeep Wrangler Sahara
- 2007
Jeep Wrangler X RHD 4X4
- 2007
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.
Jeep VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE11-019
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.