A safety-related defect is generally one that is common to a group of vehicles, tires or child restraints of the same design or manufacturer. These defects are likely to affect the safe operation of a vehicle, tire or child restraint without providing any prior warning to the vehicle operator or user. Therefore, the defect poses a risk to the vehicle operator, occupants and others.

Examples of safety-related defects:

	Steering components that may break suddenly, causing loss of vehicle control.
	Problems with fuel system components that may cause fuel leaks and possibly vehicle fires.
	Improperly designed or constructed tires that may blow out unexpectedly.
	Accelerator controls that may break or stick.
	Wheels that may crack or break, resulting in loss of vehicle control.
	Windshield wiper arms that may fall off while in operation.
	Seats and/or seat backs that fail unexpectedly during normal use.
	Critical vehicle components that may break, fall apart, or separate from the vehicle, causing loss of vehicle control, or injury to people inside or outside the vehicle.
	Wiring problems that may lead to a fire or loss of lighting.
	Air bags that deploy when they shouldn’t.
	Child restraints with defective harness systems, buckles or components.

Examples of non-safety-related problems:

	Ordinary wear of equipment that has to be inspected, maintained and replaced periodically by the consumer. Such equipment includes shock absorbers, batteries, brake pads and shoes, and exhaust systems.
	Air conditioners and radios that do not operate properly.
	Non-structural or body panel rust.
	Poor quality of paint or cosmetic blemishes.