NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE15-025: Air Bag Clockspring Wiring Failure
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE15-025 on June 19, 2015 and closed it on December 7, 2015. NHTSA's investigations file lists 5 Jeep models for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE15-025 (also written PE15025)
- 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 December 7, 2015
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components
- Air Bags; Air Bags — Frontal
- Vehicles and equipment
- 5 Jeep models, including the Wrangler and Wrangler 2-DR 4X4
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 PE15-025.
In it's response to ODI's PE15-025 Information Request letter, FCA identified 1,703 consumer complaints, field reports and legal claims responsive to the subject defect condition on the subject Wrangler vehicles.
Six of these reports alleged an air bag non-deployment in a crash in which either the air bag warning light was allegedly on or came on afterward the crash, one of which also alleged injuries as a result of the non-deployment.
FCA also provided data on other make, model and model year vehicles using the same clockspring.
Additionally FCA provided 16,955 warranty claims related to the replacement of the air bag clockspring wiring assembly.
It should be noted that FCA initiated an Extended Warranty Program on the left hand drive MY 2007 Wrangler in late calendar year 2011.6,777 of these claims are from the MY 2007 left hand drive Wrangler.
FCA advises that some of the warranty claims involved clockspring failures that would not affect the air bag operation, for example due to noise, cruise control and/or radio operation issues.
Many of these claims involved newer model year subject vehicles.
FCA also noted that Wrangler's removable roof and door configuration may make it more susceptible to outdoor water/moisture and dust ingress.
ODI investigated the right hand drive Wrangler in calender year 2011 for a similar clockspring issue under PE11-019.
That investigation lead to NHTSA Safety Recall 11V258 on right hand drive model year (MY) 2008-2012 Wranglers.
FCA redesigned the remedy clockspring to improve its durability and environmental protection and revised the design of the steering wheel to column shroud.
Base on the data reviewed, this Preliminary Analysis (PE) is being upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA).
The reports cited above are listed in the public investigative file available at SaferCar.gov under this investigation ID.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE15-025. 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.
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 PE15-025
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.