Just What Is a Car Recall? Car Safety Recall Definition - A safety recall is an automotive manufacturer's way of notifying vehicle customers that their product has a flaw. The automobile problem is serious enough that if you do not correct the flaw your and/or your passengers' safety could be at risk. Generally recalls are initiated by the US Government, but sometimes individual car manufacturers will pre-emptively initiate a recall.
Where Do I Find My VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)? Look on the lower left of your car’s windshield for your 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Your VIN is also located on your car’s registration card, and it may be shown on your insurance card.
Auto Tip - How Do I Find Out If My Vehicle Has A Recall? ==> An easy way to determine if you have an active car recall is to just enter your VIN number at the top of this page and CarFax will report if there are any issues at all with your vehicle.
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER DRIVE LINKAGE ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY FRACTURE DUE TO METAL FATIGUE AS A RESULT OF REPEATED FLEXING OF THE DRIVE ARM ACROSS A STRESS SENSITIVE AREA. THIS CONDITION WILL RENDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM INOPERATIVE.
AN IMPROPER TRANSMISSION SHIFT BRACKET WAS INSTALLED WHICH, BECAUSE OF ITS DESIGN, COULD CONTACT AND ABRADE THE FUEL HOSE. FUEL LEAKAGE AND POSSIBLE ACCUMULATION OF FUEL ON A SURFACE BENEATH A PARKED VEHICLE COULD RESULT.
IN THE EVENT THE VEHICLE IS STRUCK FROM THE REAR, THE FUEL FILLER PIPE COULD DISCONNECT FROM THE TANK OR THE TANK COULD BE PUNCTURED IN THE FORWARD FACE. THIS WOULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE.
IN THE EVENT THE VEHICLE IS STRUCK FROM THE REAR, THE FUEL FILLER PIPE COULD DISCONNECT FROM THE TANK OR THE TANK COULD BE PUNCTURED IN THE FORWARD FACE. THIS WOULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE.
TRANSMISSION SHIFT CONTROL RODS WERE INSTALLED THAT WERE INTENDED FOR USE WITH THE STEERING COLUMNS OF A PRIOR DESIGN LEVEL. ATTACHMENT OF THE SHIFT CONTROL ROD WITH THE STEERING COLUMN SHIFT LEVER GROMMET WILL ALLOW RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THESE PARTS. CONTINUED USAGE COULD RESULT IN GROMMET WEAR AND DETERIORATION OF THE SHIFT CONTROL FUNCTION, WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR STARTING IN GEAR OR AN INABILITY TO ENGAGE THE PARKING GEAR.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDER HARNESS RETRACTORS THAT MAY NOT LOCK. SHOULD THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN DECELERATION OR IMPACT, THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE RESTRAINED BY THE SHOULDER HARNESS PORTION OF THE THREE-POINT SEAT BELT SYSTEM. FURTHERMORE, THE SHOULDER HARNESS RETRACTORS MAY NOT ALLOW EXTRACTION OF THE SHOULDER BELT WEBBING DUE TO A PRE-LOCKED CONDITION. THIS IS A NON-COMPLIANCE TO THE EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES.
IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL IMPACT, FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR AT THE FUEL LINE TO FUEL PUMP CONNECTION IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY.
THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTORS ON CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY FAIL TO LOCK DUE TO BINDING OF THE LOCKING PAWL AGAINST THE RETRACTOR HOUSING. THIS BINDING IS CAUSED BY RETRACTOR HOUSING DEFORMATION WHICH OCCURRED DURING ASSEMBLY. AS A RESULT THE PASSENGERS WOULD BE RESTRAINED ONLY BY THE FULLY EXTENDED BELT. THIS FAILS TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.
BECAUSE OF ITS POSITION, THE WIRING ASSEMBLY MAY CHAFE AGAINST THE COWL-TO-BRAKE PEDAL SUPPORT BRACE WHICH IS LOCATED UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN FRONT PARK/TURN SIGNAL LAMP ASSEMBLIES THAT MAY BE IN NON-COMPLIANCE TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT. THE NON-COMPLIANCE EXISTS BECAUSE OF A POSSIBLE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE LAMP LENS AND LAMP HOUSING DUE TO VIBRATION. THIS SEPARATION COULD ALLOW MOISTURE AND DIRT ACCUMULATION TO OCCUR INSIDE THE LAMP ASSEMBLY.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH AIR CONDITIONING UNITS WHICH CONTAIN BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR WIRES WHICH ARE IMPROPERLY POSITIONED. AS A RESULT, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS THE POLYPROPYLENE CASE MATERIAL COULD BECOME OVERHEATED AND EVENTUALLY IGNITE, ESPECIALLY IF THE BLOWER MOTOR SWITCH IS IN THE LOW OR MEDIUM POSITION.
ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE MANUAL STEERING GEARS MAY CONTAIN STEERING GEAR RECIRCULATORY BALLS THAT COULD FRACTURE. THIS FRACTURING IS A RESULT OF IMPROPER HEAT-TREATMENT DURING MANUFACTURE AND CAN EVENTUALLY CAUSE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT.
ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE MANUAL STEERING GEARS MAY CONTAIN STEERING GEAR RECIRCULATORY BALLS THAT COULD FRACTURE. THIS FRACTURING IS A RESULT OF IMPROPER HEAT-TREATMENT DURING MANUFACTURE AND CAN EVENTUALLY CAUSE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT.
ON SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL MAY NOT ENGAGE THE PARKING GEAR WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION. THIS CONDITION IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO EXCESSIVE FREE PLAY IN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT.
SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE DEFECTIVE CARBURETORS IN WHICH, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SECONDARY THROTTLE PLATES MAY STICK OPEN.
SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE DEFECTIVE CARBURETORS IN WHICH, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SECONDARY THROTTLE PLATES MAY STICK OPEN.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY BE IN NON-COMPLIANCE TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 105, HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS, DUE TO INSTALLATION OF INCORRECT REAR AXLE ASSEMBLIES. CONSEQUENTLY, EARLY REAR WHEEL LOCK-UP UNDER LIGHT LOADING CONDITIONS COULD RESULT CAUSING VEHICLE DIRECTIONAL INSTABILITY. REAR BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS WOULD ALSO BE REDUCED.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL BRAKES INSTEAD OF POWER BRAKES. CONSEQUENTLY, A NON-COMPLIANCE TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 105, HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS, MAY EXIST.
THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS INSTALLED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED SO THAT THEY CONTAIN CRACKS. THESE CRACKED ROTORS COULD FRACTURE DURING VEHICLE BRAKING AND CAUSE BRAKE PULL AND AFFECT VEHICLE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE FUEL LEAKAGE AT THE RUBBER HOSE CONNECTING THE FUEL INLET TUBE TO THE CARBURETOR FILTER. THIS LEAKAGE CONDITION IS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT INSERTION OF THE FUEL TUBE INTO THE HOSE OR IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE HOSE CLAMP, CAUSING THE CLAMP TO BE CRIMPED DIRECTLY OVER THE FUEL TUBE BEAD.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE FITTED WITH TILT STEERING COLUMNS CONTAINING TRANSMISSION CONTROL INSERTS INTENDED FOR TRUCKS RATHER THAN PASSENGER VEHICLES. THIS MAY CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR POINTER TO BE MISALIGNED AND THE POSSIBILITY OF STARTING THE ENGINE WHEN THE SELECTOR IS BETWEEN THE NEUTRAL (N) AND DRIVE (D) DETENTS AND THE TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE FITTED WITH TILT STEERING COLUMNS CONTAINING TRANSMISSION CONTROL INSERTS INTENDED FOR TRUCKS RATHER THAN PASSENGER VEHICLES. THIS MAY CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR POINTER TO BE MISALIGNED AND THE POSSIBILITY OF STARTING THE ENGINE WHEN THE SELECTOR IS BETWEEN THE NEUTRAL (N) AND DRIVE (D) DETENTS AND THE TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE.
THE ENGINE FAN BLADES ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CRACKING DUE TO STRESSES GENERATED DURING NORMAL OPERATION. BLADES MAY FRACTURE AND FRAGMENTS WOULD BE PROPELLED FROM THE ROTATING FAN.
THE ENGINE FAN BLADES ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CRACKING DUE TO STRESSES GENERATED DURING NORMAL OPERATION. BLADES MAY FRACTURE AND FRAGMENTS WOULD BE PROPELLED FROM THE ROTATING FAN.
SEVEN-BLADE COOLING FANS INSTALLED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY BE SUBJECT TO FATIGUE CRACKING OF THE BLADES DUE TO STRESSES GENERATED DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH LEFT DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLIES THAT CONTAIN PAWL SPRING RETAINERS THAT WERE NOT PRODUCED TO ENGINEERING SPECIFICATIONS. CONSEQUENTLY, THE SPRING COULD BREAK, CAUSING THE LATCH PAWL TO DISENGAGE FROM THE LATCH CAM.
THE SEAT BACK PIVOT PIN BRACKET ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY FAIL. CONSEQUENTLY, THE SEAT BACK WILL ROTATE REARWARD.
THE SEAT BACK PIVOT PIN BRACKET ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY FAIL. CONSEQUENTLY, THE SEAT BACK WILL ROTATE REARWARD.
THE FRONT WHEEL SPINDLE ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY CRACK IN SERVICE. SPINDLE STEM SEPARATION COULD OCCUR DUE TO FAILURE OF THE STEM AT THE INNER BEARING FILLET LOCATION.
