Buick, Chevrolet and 2 others engineering analysis EA20002
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this engineering analysis about the anchorage on 20 model years (2009–2014). Opened Aug 31, 2020, closed Aug 30, 2024 after 4.0 years. It led to safety recall 21V245000. became a recall
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedOn August 31, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA) EA20002, as an upgrade of Recall Query (RQ) RQ19003. This investigation, related to recall 14V-266, was opened to investigate instances of detachment of the flexible steel seat belt anchor cable attached to the outboard side of the front seats in vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The subject vehicles included model year (MY) 2009 through 2014 GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, and Chevrolet Traverse SUVs as well as MY 2009 through 2010 Saturn Outlook SUVs. These vehicles were previously repaired for this defect under recall 14V-266. The subject vehicle population is approximately 1.3 million vehicles. Special Coverage N192219480, issued in June 2019, addressed the subject defect in vehicles that previously received the recall remedy repair for subject recall 14V-266. The Special Coverage allows for component replacement for 12 years or 180,000 miles from the initial sale date, whichever comes first. Special Coverage N192219480 instructed service technicians to inspect the driver’s seat belt anchor cable for any damage to the protective sleeve and if damage was observed, the cable was replaced with a new sleeve as well as a new closeout piece that relocated the cable to mitigate the subject condition. In view of the Special Coverage conducted by General Motors, the high detectability of the subject failure, and the low rate of occurrence, this Engineering Analysis is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov. Please see the attached document “EA20-002 Detailed Closing Summary� for more a detailed closing resume summary.
A Engineering Analysis is the deeper stage, usually upgraded from a Preliminary Evaluation: NHTSA tests, requests engineering documents and decides whether a safety defect exists. The summary is the agency’s own text from its investigation file, unedited; the opening and closing resumes with the full reasoning are on NHTSA’s site under this number.
What this means for an owner
Source: and what happens nextAn investigation is not a finding that a defect exists, and it puts no duty on anyone. NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation when complaints and other reports suggest a condition worth asking the manufacturer about; it upgrades to an Engineering Analysis when the answers warrant testing; it closes either when it recommends a recall, when the manufacturer recalls on its own, or when no defect trend is found. The agency’s own goals are about four months for a petition, eight for a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query and eighteen for an Engineering Analysis; many run longer.
This one became a recall. The campaign page carries the manufacturer’s filed defect, risk and remedy, the build window and every model year covered; whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2009 Buick Enclave; 2010 Buick Enclave; 2011 Buick Enclave; 2012 Buick Enclave; 2013 Buick Enclave; 2014 Buick Enclave; 2009 Chevrolet Traverse; 2010 Chevrolet Traverse; 2011 Chevrolet Traverse; 2012 Chevrolet Traverse; 2013 Chevrolet Traverse; 2014 Chevrolet Traverse; 2009 GMC Acadia; 2010 GMC Acadia; 2011 GMC Acadia; 2012 GMC Acadia; 2013 GMC Acadia; 2014 GMC Acadia; 2009 Saturn Outlook; 2010 Saturn Outlook.
A vehicle page’s investigation list carries the same action; a name here is the scope NHTSA opened, not a list of affected VINs.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs EA20002 a recall?
No — it is the investigation that led to one. Recall 21V245000 is the campaign; its page carries the remedy.
Is EA20002 still open?
No. It closed on Aug 30, 2024 and led to recall 21V245000.
Which vehicles does EA20002 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 20 model years: 2009 Buick Enclave, 2010 Buick Enclave, 2011 Buick Enclave, 2012 Buick Enclave, 2013 Buick Enclave, 2014 Buick Enclave and more. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.