General Motors, LLC: Safety Recalls in 1986

THE POWER STEERING ASSIST CYLINDER MOUNTING BRACKET BOLTS MAY LOOSEN DUE TO PAINT ON THE BOLT THREADS AND THE MOUNTING BRACKET MATING SURFACE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THIS MAY RESULT IN LOOSENESS AND ERRATIC STEERING DURING FULL TURNS. WITH CONTINUED OPERATION POWER CYLINDER COULD DETACH FROM THE FRAME RAIL RESULTING IN RESTRICTED STEERING, SEVERING OF FRONT BRAKE HOSE AND LOSS OF FRONT AXLE BRAKING. WITH EITHER CONDITION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.

PART OF PUSHBUTTON ATTACHMENT OF HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY FRACTURE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: PUSH BUTTON WOULD NOT LATCH IN ON POSITION RESULTING IN INABILITY TO TURN ON HEADLIGHTS, REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.

SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MAY NOT PROPERLY ENGAGE DUE TO CONTACT WITH SUPPORT BRACKET AND/OR THE PRIMARY LATCH RETURN SPRING. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF THIS OCCURS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, HOOD COULD OPEN AND CONTACT THE WINDSHIELD, AFFECTING THE DRIVERS VISION AREA; THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

A CLAMP PINCH BOLT SECURING THE UPPER STEERING SHAFT TO THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT MAY LOOSEN. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SHAFTS COULD SEPARATE RESULTING IN LOSS OF TRUCK CONTROL WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE POWER STEERING PUMP RETURN HOSE AND THE ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: HOSE COULD OVERHEAT, RESULTING IN A HOLE AND FLUID LEAK, AND A POSSIBLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

TIRE LABEL CONTAINS INCORRECT TIRE SIZE INFORMATION. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS 110.

TIRE AND WHEEL INFORMATION ON CERTIFICATION LABEL MAY BE INCORRECT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS 120.

THE THROTTLE RETURN SPRING ASSEMBLY MAY FAIL AND PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE CLOSED (IDLE) POSITION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: ENGINE SPEED WOULD NOT DECREASE; LOSS OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

THE PUSH PULL HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY HAVE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WHICH ALLOW AN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO FLICKER OR SUDDENLY GO OUT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SUDDEN LOSS OF THE HEADLIGHTS UNDER SEVERE WEATHER OR NIGHTTIME DRIVING CONDITIONS COULD REDUCE DRIVER VISIBILITY WHICH MIGHT RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

PARKING BRAKE LEVER MECHANISMS MAY NOT PROPERLY ENGAGE WHEN APPLIED AS REQUIRED BY FMVSS 105. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: VEHICLE COULD UNEXPECTEDLY ROLL AWAY UNCONTROLLED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT STUD TO KNUCKLE ATTACHMENT MAY HAVE BEEN INADEQUATELY TIGHTENED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THIS COULD ALLOW THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT STUD TO LOOSEN AT THE KNUCKLE ATTACHMENT. A LOOSE BALL JOINT STUD COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK AND SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE. SEPARATION COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MAY BE INCORRECTLY ALIGNED, OR MAY EXHIBIT A BINDING CONDITION OF THE LATCH PIVOT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH NOT BEING COMPLETELY ENGAGED TO THE HOOD, THE HOOD COULD UNEXPECTEDLY OPEN WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE HOOD MAY CONTACT THE WINDSHIELD REDUCING THE FORWARD VISION AREA OF THE DRIVER AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING COULD OCCUR.

SEVERE AND UNUSUAL BRAKING CONDITIONS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CENTER VALVE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF SUFFICIENT DAMAGE OCCURS, LOSS OF FRONT BRAKES MAY OCCUR WITH INCREASED PEDAL TRAVEL AND REDUCED BRAKING ABILITY. THE REDUCTION OF BRAKING ABILITY AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE IS REQUIRED COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

THREE BOLTS WHICH ATTACH THE SILL THAT SUPPORTS THE BASE OF THE SEAT WERE OMITTED; THEREFORE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 210 AND FMVSS 207. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE FLOOR PLATE COULD BUCKLE ALONG THE INBOARD SIDE CAUSING THE SEAT PEDESTAL TO BE IMBALANCED, AND INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

DURING A COMBINED CORNERING AND BRAKING MANEUVER, THE TIE ROD END COULD CONTACT THE TIRE WALL. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THIS CONTACT CAN CAUSE GROOVING OF THE TIRE, WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN TIRE FAILURE AND POSSIBLY A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

LEFT HANDED DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR PLATE MAY BE UPSIDE DOWN IN LOCK PILLAR SO THAT THE UNTHREADED SLOT OF THE PLATE ALIGNED WITH THE HOLE IN THE LOCK PILLAR. THIS RESULTED IN THE ANCHOR BOLT BEING DRIVEN INTO THE SLOT INSTEAD OF THE THREADED HOLE OF THE ANCHOR PLATE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IN A VEHICLE CRASH, BELT ANCHOR BOLT MAY PULL LOOSE FROM ANCHOR PLATE, THUS FAILING TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS 210, SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES, AND INCREASES LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY TO OCCUPANT.

SEVERE BRAKE CHATTER MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE CHAMBER MOUNTING BRACKETS ON EITHER SIDE TO DEVELOP CRACKS IN THE WELD AREA WHERE THE S-CAM SHAFT TUBE ATTACHES TO THE CHAMBER SUPPORT SECTION. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: BRACKETS CAN BREAK, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY AT THE FRONT WHEEL, AND POSSIBLY RESTRICT STEERING, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

STEERING CONTROL ARM CAN BE OVERSTRESSED WITH HEAVY STEERING INPUT CAUSING IT TO CRACK AND IT COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK COMPLETELY. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF THE STEERING CONTROL ARM BREAKS, COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY AND TRUCK CONTROL WOULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

THE ENGINE AIR CLEANER PLASTIC TRIM COVER COULD FALL OFF THE AIR CLEANER ASSEMBLY AND LAND ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CREATING A FIRE HAZARD. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF THE CAR IS BEING OPERATED AT THE TIME THAT THE PLASTIC TRIM COVER FALLS OFF, AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.

AN INCORRECTLY INDEXED WIRING HARNESS MAY CAUSE THE CENTER HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMP TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS OR PARKING LAMPS ARE ON. FMVSS 108 LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT REQUIRES THAT THIS STOP LAMP BE LIGHTED ONLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. ALSO, THE OPERA LAMPS MAY COME ON WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THE CENTER HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMP PROVIDES ADDITIONAL WARNING THAT THE VEHICLE IS SLOWING OR STOPPING. IF THIS LAMP MALFUNCTIONS, IT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO A REAR END ACCIDENT.

THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY MAY BE INCORRECTLY ASSEMBLED. THE MISASSEMBLED UNITS WILL RESULT IN REDUCED ILLUMINATION WHICH WILL CAUSE THE LAMP ASSEMBLY TO BE IN NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS 108 LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: REDUCED ILLUMINATION WHICH DOES NOT MEET THE FEDERAL STANDARD MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO BE NOTICED ON THE HIGHWAY, THEREFORE MAY CONTRIBUTE TO AN ACCIDENT.

THE PUSH-PULL HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY HAVE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WHICH ALLOW AN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO FLICKER OR SUDDENLY GO OUT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SUDDEN LOSS OF THE HEADLIGHTS UNDER SEVERE WEATHER OR NIGHTTIME DRIVING CONDITIONS COULD REDUCE DRIVER VISIBILITY WHICH MIGHT RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. NOTE: ALSO, SEE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 86V131000.

A WIRING HARNESS LOCATED UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY SECURED IN ITS RETAINER AND COULD INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR LEVER. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THIS COULD PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE CLOSED (IDLE) POSITION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED, AND RESULT IN LOSS OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

THE THROTTLE RETURN SPRING ASSEMBLY MAY FAIL PREVENTING THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE CLOSED (IDLE) POSITION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: ENGINE SPEED MAY NOT DECREASE AND LOSS OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

THE PARKING BRAKE ACTUATING LEVER CAM MAY CONTAIN A QUENCH CRACK WHICH CAN WIDEN, REDUCING THE HOLDING CAPABILITY OF THE PARKING BRAKES. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THE REDUCED HOLDING CAPABILITY OF THE PARKING BRAKE COULD ALLOW AN UNATTENDED TRUCK TO ROLL AWAY UNCONTROLLED, WHICH MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT.