General Motors, LLC: Safety Recalls in 1980

VEHICLES MAY BE SUBJECT TO ABRASIVE CONTACT BETWEEN THE REAR BRAKE HOSE/PIPE ASSEMBLY AND THE AXLE HOUSING WITH NORMAL BRAKE USAGE AND REAR PAD WEAR. SHOULD THIS CONDITION OCCUR, IT COULD LEAD TO A BRAKE HOSE/PIPE FAILURE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND LOSS OF REAR BRAKING ACTION.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITHOUT THE RETAINER CLIP FOR THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSH ROD. THE ABSENCE OF THIS RETAINER CLIP COULD ALLOW THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DISENGAGE FROM THE MASTER CYCLINDER PUSH ROD.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE FRONT BRAKE PIPE AND THE ENGINE OIL PAN. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE BRAKE PIPE TO CONTACT THE LEFT HAND FRONT EDGE OF THE OIL PAN, RESULTING IN WEAR AND, EVENTUALLY, DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE PIPE. THIS COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF BRAKES.

VEHICLES MAY NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS". THE TIRE RIM SIZE WAS OMITTED ON THE EXISTING LABEL.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH THE POWER STEERING HOSE INCORRECTLY ROUTED. THE POWER STEERING HOSE MAY THEN CONTACT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, RESULTING IN DETERIORATION AND EVENTUAL FAILURE OF THE HOSE AND LEAKAGE OF POWER STEERING FLUID ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH A BRAKE PEDAL SUPPORT BRACKET WHICH WAS DESIGNED FOR USE IN DIESEL ENGINE VEHICLES. THE INCORRECT BRACKET MAY CAUSE THE SERVICE BRAKES TO REMAIN PARTIALLY APPLIED, RESULTING IN BRAKE OVERHEATING AND REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS.

A MISROUTING OF THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE MAY EXIST. THIS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE INSULATION DUE TO RUBBING ON THE RIGHT FRONT METAL BRAKE TUBE. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE WIRE IN THE CABLE MAY CONTACT AND DAMAGE THE BRAKE TUBE, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID.

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT TO STEERING KNUCKLE ATTACHING NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TORQUED TO SPECIFICATIONS. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE NUT TO BACK OFF, RESULTING IN JOINT SEPARATION.

VEHICLES MAY FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS". PLACARD ON REAR EDGE OF LEFT DOOR MAY SHOW AN INCORRECT VEHICLE CAPACITY WEIGHT INSTEAD OF THE CORRECT FIGURE OF 800 LBS.

THE HYDRAULIC STEEL BRAKE TUBE CONNECTING THE BRAKE HOSE TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT FRONT TOP WHEEL CYLINDER MAY DEVELOP A FRACTURE IN THE BEND NEXT TO THE WHEEL CYLINDER. THIS FRACTURE RESULTS FROM PERIODIC HIGH STRESSES IN THE TUBE DUE TO "BRAKE CHATTER" WHICH CAN OCCUR DURING CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.

THE PEDAL PUSH ROD ASSEMBLIES ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES ARE SUBJECT TO EXTREME WEAR AFTER EXTENDED USE. THIS WEAR COULD CAUSE THE BRAKE PUSH ROD TO DISENGAGE FROM THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THE WEAR RESULTS FROM EXCESSIVE RETURN PRESSURE ON THE PUSH ROD FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL RETURN SPRING WHICH WAS MISTAKENLY INSTALLED DURING PRODUCTION.

A MISROUTING OF THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE MAY EXIST. AS A RESULT, THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE INSULATION COULD BE DAMAGED FROM EXHAUST MANIFOLD HEAT. THE WIRE IN THE CABLE MAY THEN CONTACT AND DAMAGE THE METAL BRAKE TUBE.

DURING TESTING OF THE FIRE APPARATUS, EXTREME HEAT GENERATED FROM THE RIGHT SIDE ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE HOSE AT THE FRAME FITTING. THIS COULD CAUSE A LEAK IN THE FRONT AXLE HYDRAULIC BRAKE HOSE.

TWO SCREWS WHICH SECURE THE SHIFT LINKAGE BRACKET MAY LOOSEN AND FALL OUT. CONSEQUENTLY, THE GEAR POSITION INDICATED ON THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR MAY DIFFER FROM THE ACTUAL GEAR POSITION OF THE TRANSMISSION. THIS CONSTITUTES A NON-COMPLIANCE TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT".