General Motors, LLC: Safety Recalls in 1984

THE REAR AXLE CONTROL ARM LOCATES AND HELPS CONTROL AXLE MOVEMENT; IT ATTACHES TO THE FRAME WITH A BRACKET. THE REAR CONTROL ARM BRACKET ATTACHING BOLTS USED ON SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY FRACTURE. FRACTURE OF ALL FOUR BOLTS ON ONE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE CAN RESULT IN THE CONTROL ARM DROPPING ENOUGH TO CUT THE REAR BRAKE HOSE. A SEVERED BRAKE HOSE WOULD RESULT IN BRAKE FLUID LOSS AND PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY.

THE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTORS WHICH MAY NOT PERFORM ADEQUATELY DURING A COLLISION.

REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE AXLES THAT WERE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE AXLE SHAFT AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY FROM THE VEHICLE.

THE SWITCH USED MAY NOT BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE WIPER MOTOR. THIS SYSTEM, ALTHOUGH FUNCTIONAL, IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 104, "WINDSHIELD WIPING AND WASHING SYSTEM". THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SPEED MAY REMAIN NEARLY CONSTANT WHETHER IN HIGH OR LOW SPEED MODE. THE STANDARD REQUIRES THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW SPEED MUST BE AT LEAST 15 CYCLES PER MINUTE TO ACCOMODATE A VARIETY OF RAIN, SNOW, OR WHEEL SPRAY CONDITIONS.

IN SOME 16 X 6 DISC WHEELS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT MAY CAUSE THE WHEELS TO CRACK IN THE DROP CENTER PORTION OF THE RIM. IF THE CRACK WERE TO OCCUR ON A WHEEL WITH A TUBE TYPE TIRE MOUNTED TO IT, AND CONTINUED TO GO UNDETECTED, THE WHEEL COULD SPLIT, RESULTING IN A RAPID LOSS OF AIR FROM THE TIRE.

VEHICLES HAVE A PRIMARY AND A RESERVE BRAKING SYSTEM. IF THE PRIMARY BRAKE SYSTEM BOOSTER FAILS, UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES THE RESERVE SYSTEM MAY ALSO MALFUNCTION AND BRAKING ABILITY WILL BE IMPAIRED.

DUE TO A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL TANK FILLER PIPE, THE FUEL CAP MAY IMPROPERLY SEAL THE END OF THE FILLER PIPE. THIS FAILS TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY." IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, AN IMPROPERLY SEALED FILLER PIPE COULD ALLOW FUEL SPILLAGE.

THE THROTTLE LINKAGE MAY BIND BECAUSE DURING NORMAL OPERATION, THE THROTTLE BODY CASE MAY INTERFERE WITH THE LINKAGE. THIS INTERFERENCE COULD PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM CLOSING EVEN THOUGH THE DRIVER HAS REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.

THE TIE RODS ARE PART OF THE STEERING LINKAGE AND TRANSMIT TURNING MOVEMENTS TO THE WHEELS. THE BOLTS THAT FASTEN THE TIE RODS TO THEIR ADJUSTERS MAY NOT BE TIGHT ENOUGH. THIS COULD ALLOW THE TIE ROD TO LOOSEN AND DETACH ITSELF FROM THE ADJUSTER.

THE DUAL AIR RESERVOIRS OF SOME TRUCKS WERE EQUIPPED WITH CARBON STEEL SPRINGS INSTEAD OF STAINLESS STEEL SPRINGS, AS INTENDED. THE CARBON STEEL SPRING IS MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO RUSTING THAN THE STAINLESS STEEL SPRING. THIS RUSTING COULD CAUSE THE CHECK VALVE TO FAIL, CAUSING TOTAL LOSS OF FRONT AND REAR BRAKES.

RUBBER FUEL HOSE COULD ALLOW A SLOW FUEL LEAK WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING.

PLASTIC PLUG LOCATED ON TOP OF THE FRONT AIR CONDITIONER WAS NOT REMOVED DURING ASSEMBLY. THIS DEFECT DISRUPTS NORMAL OPERATION OF EVAPORATOR BLOWER HOUSING.

REAR BRAKE HOSES WERE NOT PROPERLY MANUFACTURED AND DO NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 106, "BRAKE HOSES". HOSES COULD COME LOOSE FROM THE END FITTINGS WHEN SUBJECTED TO A PULLING FORCE.

TIRE INFORMATION LABEL CONTAINS THE INCORRECT TIRE SIZE, WHICH IS A FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS.

REAR WHEELS MAY LOCK SUDDENLY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION BETWEEN MAINSHAFT AND FIRST GEAR.

UNWANTED AIR IS BEING DRAWN INTO THE BRAKE SYSTEM WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. THIS IS DUE TO THE USE OF THE BENDIX MASTER CYLINDER IN COMBINATION WITH THE BENDIX HYDROVAC.

OMISSION OF THE CERTIFICATION LABELS AS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 110 "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS".

REAR BRAKE METALLIC LINES MAY DEVELOP A CRACK AND LEAK BRAKE FLUID.

REAR AXLE BRAKE TEE JUNCTION BLOCK WHICH JOINS THE BRAKE LINES IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, WAS PAINTED BY MISTAKE. THE PAINT COULD CAUSE LOOSENING OF THE BRAKE HOSE CONNECTION WHICH MAY RESULT IN A BRAKE FLUID LEAK AND LOSS OF REAR BRAKES.

VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN WIRED IMPROPERLY SO THAT THE TAILGATE LOCK CAN BE RELEASED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN PARK OR IS IN MOTION.

THE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITHOUT THE RETAINING CLIP WHICH IS NEEDED TO KEEP THE CLUTCH CABLE FROM CONTACTING THE MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE PIPE. OVER AN EXTENDED TIME, THE CLUTCH CABLE COULD RUB THROUGH THE MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE PIPE, RESULTING IN A BRAKE FLUID LEAK AND LOSS OF FRONT BRAKES.

THE FRONT STEERING ALIGNMENT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. THE TIE RODS, A PART OF THE STEERING LINKAGE WHICH TRANSMITS STEERING MOVEMENTS TO THE WHEELS, MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FASTENED COMPLETELY. THE ALIGNMENT OF THE STEERING WILL AFFECT THE VEHICLE"S HANDLING PROPERTIES. INCOMPLETE FASTENING OF THE STEERING TIE ROD MAY LEAD TO COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE LINKAGE.

THE MAIN FEED WIRE AND HORN RELAY-FLASHER FEED WIRE MAY HAVE BEEN CONNECTED IN REVERSE POSITIONS IN THE NUMBER TWO CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THE DRIVER"S CONTROL PANEL.

VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH AN INCORRECT BRAKE PEDAL BRACKET WHICH CAUSES THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BE LOCATED IN A POSITION LOWER THAN NORMAL.

SOME VEHICLES HAVE BUCKET SEAT BACK LOCKS THAT DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 207, ANCHORAGE OF SEATS. IN EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT BACK LOCK MAY NOT FUNCTION.