Toyota preliminary evaluation PE16006
Yaw rate sensor malfunction. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the electronic stability control on 2 model years (2001–2002). Opened Jun 14, 2016, closed Dec 20, 2016 after 6 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedOn June 14, 2016, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE16-006 to investigate 135 complaints alleging incidents of yaw rate sensor malfunctions resulting in unexpected Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) activations and steering pull while driving in model year (MY) 2001-2002 Toyota Sequoia vehicles. ODI identified a total of 958 incidents in complaints provided by Toyota or submitted to ODI by consumers. ODI conducted the following work to assess the alleged defect in the subject vehicles: 1) evaluated the design of the subject yaw rate sensor; 2) initiated vehicle testing and instrumentation; 3) performed failure analysis on subject components collected from the field; 4) analyzed field data for evidence of system faults; and 5) reviewed the performance of the subject system in fault simulations testing conducted by Toyota. ODI review indicated that an overwhelming majority of incidents are related to flashing VSC slip indicators on the instrument panel accompanied by warning buzzers and grinding noise or vibration caused by pulsed brake application to one of the front wheels. Yaw rate sensor malfunctions resulting in VSC brake applications is accompanied by a brief duration of longitudinal deceleration with minimal changes in vehicle speed and will not result in abrupt lane change or loss of vehicle control due to steering controllability. This preliminary evaluation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that a safety related defect does not exist. For additional information, see the closing resume appendix and the investigation file for PE16-006.
A Preliminary Evaluation is the first formal stage: NHTSA has decided the complaints and other information it screened are worth a closer look, and asks the manufacturer for its own data on the condition. 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 closed without a recall. That means NHTSA found no defect trend it chose to act on at the time, or the manufacturer addressed the condition another way (a service campaign or a bulletin, which have their own pages). A closed file can be reopened if new reports arrive.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2001 Toyota Sequoia; 2002 Toyota Sequoia.
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 PE16006 a recall?
No. A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA asking questions, not a recall. A safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number and a duty to repair for free; this one closed without one. Whether one particular vehicle has an open recall is a VIN question at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is PE16006 still open?
No. It closed on Dec 20, 2016 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE16006 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 2 model years: 2001 Toyota Sequoia, 2002 Toyota Sequoia. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.