NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE86-049: SEAT TRACK LOCK
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE86-049 on April 24, 1986 and closed it on August 1, 1986. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1984 Chevrolet Cavalier for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE86-049 (also written PE86049)
- 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 August 1, 1986
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- General Motors, LLC
- Component
- Seats
- Vehicles and equipment
- 1984 Chevrolet Cavalier
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 PE86-049.
ANALYSIS:EIGHT (8) OF THE 13 COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT THE FAILURE OCCURREDPRIOR TO ANY IMPACT/ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT.ONE (1) OF THE FAILURES MAY HAVECAUSED OR AT LEAST INFLUENCED THE DRIVERS INVOLVEMENT IN AN ACCIDENT.THEDRIVER'S SUDDEN TEMPORARY LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL MAY HAVE RESULTED FROMHIS INABILITY TO APPLY THE BRAKES DUE TO THE SEATS REARWARD MOVEMENT.FOUR (4) OF THE FAILURES ALLEGEDLY OCCURRED DURING AN ACCIDENT/IMPACTSITUATION.BECAUSE THIS FAILURE APPEARS TO OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING AND DUETO THE POSSIBLE MOMENTARY LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL BY THE DRIVER IT ISSUGGESTED THAT FURTHER INFORMATION BE REQUESTED FROM GM ON THIS SUBJECT.PROPOSED ACTION:OPEN A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION ON THIS SUBJECT.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE86-049. 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.
Chevrolet
Chevrolet Cavalier
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.
Chevrolet VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE86-049
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.