Chrysler (FCA US, LLC): Safety Recalls in 1979

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES CONTAIN DEFECTIVE FAN BLOWER SWITCHES THAT COULD IN CERTAIN INSTANCES GENERATE AN EXCESS OF HEAT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

INCORRECT HEADLAMPS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR EXPORT ONLY AND DO NOT MEET U.S. REQUIREMENTS.

SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE INCORRECT UNIVERSAL JOINT FASTENERS. THESE FASTENERS MAY LOOSEN AND ALLOW THE PROPELLER SHAFT TO DISCONNECT FROM THE AXLE OR TRANSFER CASE.

INCREASED FRICTION EXPERIENCED IN OPERATION OR SERVICING OF THE SYSTEM MAY RESULT IN A TOTAL FRICTION LEVEL EXCEEDING THE FORCE CAPABILITY OF THE THROTTLE RETURN SPRINGS. THIS MAY PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING PROPERLY TO A CLOSED POSITION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED.

THE DEFECT INVOLVES THE POTENTIAL FOR EXHAUST GAS (CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE) ENTRY INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHICH CAN OCCUR AS A RESULT OF IMPROPERLY RETAINED PLASTIC SEALING PLUGS IN THE REAR QUARTER PANEL/TRUNK AREA OF THE VEHICLE. CARBON MONOXIDE IS A TOXIC GAS WHICH IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITY AND EXPOSURE TIME IS POTENTIALLY LETHAL.

IN SOME CASES, THE UNIVERSAL JOINT MAY PENETRATE THE WALL OF THE FUEL TANK. INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE FRAME MOUNTED PLASTIC FUEL TANK AND THE DRIVELINE PROPELLER SHAFT MAY ALLOW CONTACT BETWEEN THE SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT AND THE TANK.

THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT COUPLING ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE AN OVERSIZED SERRATION DIAMETER IN THE ATTACHMENT AREA TO THE STEERING GEAR SHAFT. SINCE THIS OVERSIZED COUPLING MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY ENGAGED ON THE STEERING GEAR SHAFT, THE ATTACHMENT MAY LOOSEN, RESULTING IN STEERING FREE PLAY.

THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE ROUTING ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY ALLOW INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOSES AND THE FRONT TIRES DURING EXTREME TURNING ANGLES.

A HALF SHAFT ASSEMBLY ON THE RIGHT OR LEFT SIDE OF THE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE MECHANISM MAY DEVELOP A FRACTURE NEAR ITS INBOARD ATTACHMENT POINT.

AN IMPROPER BULB SOCKET MAY EXIST IN THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY. THIS MAY CAUSE AN UNACCEPTABLE DECREASE IN BRIGHTNESS LEVELS IN LAMPS USED FOR REAR SIGNALING.

CONDENSATE WATER MAY ACCUMULATE IN THE AIR CONDITIONING BLOWER HOUSING; THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY THAT THIS WATER WILL CAUSE THE BLOWER MOTOR TO FAIL. BLOWER MOTOR FAILURE WOULD DISABLE THE AIR CONDTIONING UNIT AND THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO DEFROST OR DEFOG THE WINDSHIELD.

THE POSSIBILITY OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUEL LEAKAGE EXISTS DUE TO AN INADEQUATE STAKING OPERATION THAT MAY ALLOW FUEL TO LEAK BY THE FUEL PUMP DIAPHRAGM AND DISCHARGE FROM THE PUMP BODY THROUGH THE PUMP BREATHER HOLE.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH A METALLURGICALLY DEFICIENT LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY.

THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE ROUTING MAY ALLOW INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOSES AND THE TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLIES DURING EXTREME TURNING ANGLES.

LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY FRACTURE IN THE AREA ADJACENT TO THE LOWER BALL JOINT, RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE BALL JOINT FROM THE ARM.

THE STEERING GEAR TO GEAR BRACKET AND BRACKET TO FRAME SIDE RAIL FASTENERS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY LOOSEN DUE TO THE UNUSUAL TYPE OF USAGE EXPRIENCED BY THESE SPECIALLY BUILT VEHICLES. LOOSENED GEAR OR BRACKET ATTACHMENTS MAY RESULT IN EXCESSIVE STEERING WHEEL FREE PLAY.

INNER AND OUTER CARBURETOR THROTTLE RETURN SPRINGS MAY HAVE BEEN MISINSTALLED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN SPRING FAILURE. THIS CAN PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO A CLOSED POSITION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED.

CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY HAVE AN INCORRECT GASKET BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSFER CASE. AN INCORRECT GASKET MAY INTERFERE WITH THE NORMAL FLOW OF LUBRICANT. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO BECOME DAMAGED AND INOPERATIVE.

INCORRECT STEERING LINKAGE COMPONENTS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH LIGHT DUTY STEERING LINKAGE TIE ROD AND CENTER LINK ASSEMBLIES IN PLACE OF THE SPECIFIED HEAVY DUTY COMPONENTS. THESE LIGHT DUTY COMPONENTS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE HEAVY DUTY KNUCKLE ARMS, RESULTING IN AN INFLEXIBLE (NO BALL JOINT MOVEMENT) ATTACHMENT OF THE TIE ROD TO KNUCKLE ARM. THIS COULD, EVENTUALLY, RESULT IN FATIGUE FAILURE OF THAT ATTACHMENT ON ONE OF THE COMPONENTS.

INFORMATION ON TIRE AIR PRESSURE PLACARDS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY BE INCORRECT. THIS DOES NOT CONFORM WITH FEDERAL MOTOR SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS".

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH AN OVERSIZED RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING CUP WHICH ALSO PREVENTS THE PLANT LUBRICATING EQUIPMENT FROM CYCLING TO LUBRICATE BOTH THE INNER AND OUTER WHEEL BEARINGS. THE RESULTANT BEARING LOOSENESS AND/OR THE LACK OF LUBRICATION MAY CAUSE BEARING FAILURE AND, POSSIBLY, WHEEL SPINDLE DAMAGE.