NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE20-007: Spoiler Cover Detachment
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE20-007 on May 7, 2020 and closed it on October 30, 2020. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2010–2011 Land Rover Range Rover Sport for it and links recall 20V-623 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE20-007 (also written PE20007)
- 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, 2020
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Land Rover
- Component
- Structure
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 20V-623: Rear Spoiler May Detach, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2010–2011 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE20-007.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) analyzed complaints received from the public and complaint data submitted by Jaguar Land Rover North America (JLR) in response to the Information Request (IR) letter for PE20-007. ODI identified a total of 132 non-duplicative reports alleging incidents in which the spoiler cover detached from the certain Range Rover vehicles while in motion, including 3 resulting in broken windshields, 6 involving detached spoilers striking trailing vehicles with damage unknown, and 4 in which the subject vehicle driver observed trailing traffic swerve to avoid the detached part. ODI?s analysis of warranty data submitted by JLR identified 266 claims to repair detached spoiler covers and 252 claims to repair loose covers. The subject vehicles are covered by a standard warranty of 4 years/48,000 miles. Analysis of part sales data found evidence of continued failures that may be related to the alleged defect after the warranty period, with 5,487 rear spoilers sold through May 2020. The number of spoiler sales related to the alleged defect is unknown.
On October 8, 2020, JLR submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a defect in the adhesive bonding system of the rear spoiler covers in approximately 21,834 MY 2010 through 2011 Range Rover Sport vehicles manufactured from April 27, 2009 through March 28, 2011 (NHTSA Recall 20V-623, JLR Recall N499). JLR?s report states that the recalled vehicles have a bonding agent that has insufficient adhesive properties. After numerous heat cycles the spoiler cover may begin to loosen from air turbulence experienced during high-speed driving. If a loosened spoiler cover is not detected and repaired, the cover may detach from the vehicle while driving and become an airborne road hazard. Detachments are most likely to occur during high-speed driving. JLR's recall remedy will apply a new adhesive to properly secure the upper spoiler cover.
This investigation is closed based on Recall 20V-623. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under the following ID numbers:10984653, 11192264.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE20-007. 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.
Land Rover
All Land Rover recallsWhat 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.
Land Rover VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE20-007
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.