action-priority-ap

Action Priority (AP) — AIAG-VDA 2019

Goal

Assign and audit Action Priority (AP) ratings correctly using the AIAG-VDA 2019 method, ensuring high-risk items receive justified action or formal risk acceptance. This skill is used when classifying risk levels in PFMEA or DFMEA, reviewing existing ratings, or auditing FMEA documents for AP compliance.

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Required AP Review Checklist

☐ Confirm the linked Failure Effect, Failure Mode, and Failure Cause are correct before assigning AP ☐ Confirm S is based on the Failure Effect (severity to the customer or end user) ☐ Confirm O is based on the Failure Cause with current prevention controls in place ☐ Confirm D is based on current detection controls for this Failure Mode ☐ All S, O, and D ratings are supported by data, field history, capability data, or documented engineering judgement — not guesses ☐ Assign AP using the full AP determination rules (see ap-table.md) — not only the summary patterns in this skill ☐ For formal PPAP submissions, customer-facing FMEAs, or any disputed rating, confirm against your licensed AIAG-VDA FMEA Handbook — the rating criteria that make an S, O or D value defensible are in the handbook, not in this skill ☐ For every H-AP item: define a corrective action with owner and target date, or document a formal escalation rationale ☐ Reassess AP only after the corrective action is implemented and verified — not when only planned ☐ Verify Special Characteristics are rated S = 9 or 10 ☐ Document the evaluation decision for every M-AP item (action taken or rationale for no action) ☐ Document rationale for every L-AP item

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Why AP replaces RPN

The legacy RPN = Severity × Occurrence × Detection had critical flaws:

Problem 1 — Same RPN, very different risk

• S=6, O=6, D=6 → RPN = 216
• S=9, O=8, D=3 → RPN = 216 The second scenario involves a safety-related severity (S=9) and high occurrence — far more dangerous — yet produces the same RPN.