REAR SUSPENSION TOE CONTROL LINK

What NHTSA is examining

The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this preliminary evaluation to investigate allegations of rear suspension failure in the subject vehicles during certain severe driving maneuvers.the investigation was prompted by nhtsa-conducted ncap dynamic rollover test incidents involving my 2004 saturn vue vehicles and one consumer complaint that alleged when recovering from a road edge departure, the left-rear wheel of a my 2003 saturn vue ?bent underneath the vehicle,? Resulting in a rollover crash.odi analysis indicates that rear suspension failure during the ncap tests was the result of wheel rim-pavement contact transmitting significant compressive forces to the toe control link, thus causing it to buckle.this failure occurred at low speed during a severe test used to assess roll stability.the forces generated during this type of wheel-rim pavement contact are more than six times the greatest forces measured during gm?s most severe vehicle development and validation testing.odi inspection and analysis of consumer complaint vehicles showed that damage to the toe control link appeared to be the result of vehicle crashes and did not precipitate the crashes.to date, odi is aware of no vehicle crashes or rollover incidents related to the alleged defect.additionally, the manufacturer has notified the agency that it is conducting a voluntary customer satisfaction service campaign to strengthen the rear suspension of the subject vehicles.a safety-related defect has not been…

Vehicles under investigation