NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Recall Query RQ03-010: BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Recall Query RQ03-010 on December 17, 2003 and closed it on March 1, 2004. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1999–2002 Volkswagen Jetta for it and links recall 04V-096 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- RQ03-010 (also written RQ03010)
- Investigation type
- Recall Query An investigation into whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or whether its remedy works, run much like a Preliminary Evaluation.
- Status
- Closed March 1, 2004
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- Component
- Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights — Switch
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 04V-096: VW/BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 1999–2002 Volkswagen Jetta
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Recall Query RQ03-010.
THE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND MANUFACTURER FAILURE REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING AND OR INACCURATE INFORMATION.THE INJURY NOTED ABOVE WAS MINOR.ON FEBRUARY 26, 2004, VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC. (VW) SUBMITTED A DEFECT NOTIFICATION (PER 49CFR573) TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) ADVISING THAT CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 - 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA VEHICLES MANUFACUTURED WITH THE SAME BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AS RECALLED UNDER 03V-265 (MY 1998-2002 NEW BEETLE) ARE AFFECTED BY A SAFETY DEFECT.SPECIFICALLY, IF THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, OR COULD STAY ILLUMINATED CONTINUALLY EVEN WHEN THE BRAKES ARE NOT APPLIED.EITHER CONDITION RESULTS IN THE INABILITY OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOTIFY OTHER MOTORISTS OF VEHICLE BRAKING, THUS INCREASING THE RISK OF A REAR END COLLISION AND OCCUPANT INJURY.ACCORDINGLY, VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING JETTA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 1998 TO NOVEMBER 2001 TO INSPECT AND REPLACE FREE OF CHARGE ANY AFFECTED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCHES.THE RECALL PROGRAM, VW CODE WX, WILL COMMENCE IN APRIL 2004.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Recall Query RQ03-010. 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
All Volkswagen 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.
Volkswagen VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for RQ03-010
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.