Under investigation
Before a recall, there’s an investigation. This is what NHTSA is examining right now on the vehicles we track — the earliest warning a defect exists, often months before any recall is issued. The leading indicator, in one place.
A recall is the end of the story. An investigation is the beginning. When enough owners report the same failure, NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation; if it holds up it becomes an Engineering Analysis — the step that most often ends in a recall. Watching the investigations is how you see a problem coming. Almost nobody surfaces them for buyers. We do.
Open investigations on tracked vehicles
Newest first. Each links to the most-affected vehicle’s record and the official NHTSA file.
How to read this
Data is NHTSA’s official Office of Defects Investigation record, rebuilt each sync and matched to the vehicles we track. An open investigation is NHTSA examining a pattern, not a confirmed defect — some close with no action, others become recalls. "% led to a recall" is across all investigations in our set, historical included. Always check a specific vehicle for open recalls too.
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Common questions
What does it mean when NHTSA opens an investigation?
It means NHTSA has seen enough of a pattern — usually a cluster of owner complaints — to formally look into a potential safety defect. It is not a finding of fault, and not every investigation leads to a recall. But it is the single biggest signal that a recall might be coming.
What do PE, EA, RQ, and DP mean?
They are investigation types. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage; if concerns hold up it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), the step that most often precedes a recall. A Recall Query (RQ) checks whether an existing recall was adequate. A Defect Petition (DP) is opened in response to a consumer petition.
Does an open investigation mean I should stop driving my car?
Not on its own. An investigation is NHTSA gathering information, not a do-not-drive order. Read the specifics, check whether your exact vehicle has any open recalls, and watch for updates — an investigation can close with no action, or escalate to a recall with a free fix.
How current is this list?
It is rebuilt from NHTSA’s official investigations file on each data sync. Investigations open and close continuously, so the open set changes over time. Each entry links to the official NHTSA record for the latest status.