Suzuki preliminary evaluation PE20004
Loss of headlights. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the headlights on 1 model year (2018). Opened Apr 7, 2020, closed Oct 30, 2020 after 7 months. It led to safety recall 20V612000. became a recall
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedThe Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) on April 17th, 2020 to investigate Early Warning Reporting (EWR) reports submitted by Suzuki alleging loss of headlights on model year (MY) 2018 Suzuki GSX 250R motorcycles. On May 29, 2020, ODI learned, through the Suzuki response to an ODI Information Request (IR) letter, that they were aware of two complaints, multiple field reports, thirty-six warranty claims and one goodwill claim describing headlight failures on the subject motorcycles. Within the field reports, ODI discovered there were many failures involving both the low and high beams on the same motorcycle, resulting in a complete loss of vehicle lighting. All reported failures occurred on MY 2018 bikes equipped with headlight assembly part number 35100-20K30. Additionally, Suzuki made ODI aware of a design change effective February 27, 2018 on MY 2019 motorcycles that resulted in a headlight assembly part number change to 35100-20K31. This design change was made to improve serviceability of the headlamp bulb. According to Suzuki, the holding part of the bulb spring had a structure that allowed the bulb spring to become displaced from its proper mounting position when the bulb spring was removed from the holding claw to replace the bulb. Analysis of headlamp failure data showed that no MY 2019 motorcycles, or bikes manufactured with the updated headlight assembly, experienced a headlight failure. The original headlight assembly was withdrawn from production and the redesigned headlight was made available as a service replacement part in September 2018. The modified headlight can be interchanged with earlier production assemblies. Discussions between ODI and Suzuki resulted in the manufacturer recalling MY 2018 Suzuki GSX 250R motorcycles for a sudden loss of headlamp illumination. This sudden failure could reduce operator visibility and/or conspicuity, increasing the risk of a crash. This Preliminary Evaluation has been closed due to the recall issued by the manufacturer (NHTSA Recall 20V-612).
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 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: 2018 Suzuki GSX250R.
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 PE20004 a recall?
No — it is the investigation that led to one. Recall 20V612000 is the campaign; its page carries the remedy.
Is PE20004 still open?
No. It closed on Oct 30, 2020 and led to recall 20V612000.
Which vehicles does PE20004 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 1 model year: 2018 Suzuki GSX250R. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.