NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Recall Query RQ08-001: HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Recall Query RQ08-001 on February 28, 2008 and closed it on July 9, 2008. NHTSA's investigations file lists 4 models from 3 makes for it and links recall 08V-231 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- RQ08-001 (also written RQ08001)
- 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 July 9, 2008
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- General Motors, LLC
- Components
- Exterior Lighting — Hazard Flashing Warning Lights — Switch; Exterior Lighting — Hazard Flashing Warning Lights — Unit
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 08V-231: MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 4 models from 3 makes, including the Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Envoy
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Recall Query RQ08-001.
ON NOVEMBER 30, 2001, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) CONDUCTED SAFETY RECALL 01V-364 FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 16, 1999 AND AUGUST 28, 2001 TO REMEDY A DEFECTIVE HAZARD SWITCH THAT WOULD CAUSE A LOSS OF HAZARD AND STOP LAMP ILLUMINATION.THE HAZARD SWITCH IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE VEHICLE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH.ODI OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON REPORTS THAT SOME CONSUMERS WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL OR THAT THEY HAD REPAIRS DONE UNDER 01V-364 BUT EXPERIENCED SUBSEQUENT MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH FAILURES.THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH SUPPORTS THE OPERATION OF CRUISE CONTROL, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, EXTERIOR LIGHTING AND TURN SIGNALS IN ADDITION TO HAZARD AND STOP LAMPS. ON MAY 21, 2008, GM NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT ERRONEOUSLY MISSED IDENTIFYING 5,862 VEHICLES THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN RECALL 01V-364.
GM WILL NOW NOTIFY OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES UNDER A NEW NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 08V-231.
OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 17.
THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF BRAKE LAMP FAILURE WAS A DESIGN CHANGE FROM COPPER TO BRASS CONTACT MATERIAL IN THE HAZARD SWITCH.THIS CHANGE WAS EFFECTIVE FOR VEHICLES BUILT AFTER SEPTEMBER 16, 1999.
GM CHANGED THE MATERIAL BACK TO COPPER FOR VEHICLES BUILT AFTER AUGUST 28, 2001. THE REMEDY PART FOR BOTH 01V-364 AND 08V-231 CONTAINS COPPER CONTACTS.GM'S DATA SHOWS THAT LESS THAN 1% OF VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 01V-364 REQUIRED ADDITIONAL SUBSEQUENT REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD OR MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Recall Query RQ08-001. 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.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for RQ08-001
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.