THE PUSH PULL HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY HAVE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WHICH ALLOW AN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT

Sep 19, 1986 — Recall Campaign #86V131000

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.

The recall was influenced by the manufacturer with about 106,111 units affected.

See recall notice

NHTSA Safety Recall Notice

86V131000

Manufacturer:	General Motors, LLC
Recall date:	September 19, 1986
NHTSA Campaign #:	86V131000
Units affected:	106,111

Description:: 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.
Consequeces:
Corrective action:: REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AS NECESSARY.
Notes:: SYSTEM: HEADLIGHT SWITCH. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER CARS AND TRUCKS/ VANS.

Affects the following:

1986 BUICK ELECTRA Complaints
THE CRANK SENSOR-WHICH CONTROLS ENGINE TIMING-THE BRACKET ITS HOUSED IN CAN WORK LOOSE DURING NORMAL DRIVING CAUSING THE SENSOR TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE MAGNET CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL W/NO WARNING. IT HAPPENED FIRST LASTE YEAR IN JULY-99 HAD IT REPLACED BY DEALER USING OE PART. WORKED LOOSE THIS YEAR OCT-00, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL ON BUSY STREET AND BARELY MADE IT TO THE SIDE. CONTACT DEALER-WOULD NOT REPLACE PART-MADE US BUY ANOTHER....;
1986 BUICK ESTATE Complaints
CURRENTLY OWN 1986 BUICK ESTATE EQUIPPED WITH "POWER MASTER" BRAKE UNIT. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL FACTORY BRAKE UNIT FOR THIS AUTOMOBILE. THE PRESSURE SWITCH DEVELOPED A CRACK, ALLOWING THE BRAKE FLUID TO BE PUMPED OUT. MY FATHER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME, AND MANAGED TO GET THE CAR STOPPED AND OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT CRASHING. NEVERTHELESS, THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH DIFFERENT. WHAT'S MORE, I KNOW NOW THAT GM HAS LONG BEEN AWARE OF THIS DEFECT. SINCE THIS OCCURED, I HAVE LEARNED THAT GM WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR PART (PRESSURE SWICTH) AS WELL AS FOR THE DIVIDER VALVE. UPON CONTACTING THE LOCAL GM DEALER (DALLAS AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, JACKSON, OH.) I WAS INFORMADE THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY THIS RECALL. IN FACT, I WAS TOLD THAT IT ONLY APPLIED TO 2 VIN! FINDING IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A RECALL WAS ISSUED, BUT FOR ONLY 2 VEHICLES, I CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE. I TALKED WITH GREG MARTIN, CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGER, AND WAS INFRMAED THAT MY BUICK'S VIN WAS NOT AMONG THOSE COVERED. HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE GM SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THIS BRAKE PROBLEM, ALL PRESSURE SWITCHES THAT ARE BLACK IN COLOR ARE TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE "O' RING SEAL. IT FURTHER STATES THAT AFTER REPLACING THIS PART WITH THE GRAY REPLACEMENT PART, SERVICE PERSONELL SHOULD CHECK THE DIVIDER VALVE . IF IT IS CAST IRON, IT IS TO BE REPLACED WITH A BRASS VALVE. IN SPITE OF ALL THIS, THEY MAINTAIN THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED. FURTHER, THEY CLAIM THIS VEHICLE IS NOT EFFECTED EVEN THOUGH THE PART FAILED, AND DID SO IN THE EXACT MANNER DESCRIBED IN THE SERVICE BULLETIN. I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE SIMPLY NOT HONORING THE RECALL BECAUSE I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, AND DON'T HAVE THE ORIGINAL RECALL NOTICE. THEY ARE MERELY THUMBING THEIR CORPORATE NOSES AT THE SAFETY ISSUES INVOLVED IN TOTAL BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURES.*AK;
1986 BUICK LESABRE Complaints
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE RAN INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON.VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE INJURED IN ACCIDENT, THE BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TRIUMP I TIRES, TUWSRS, DOT NUMBER 00061298 ONLY HAD 1200 MILES AT TIME OF INCIDENT, CONSUMER HIT A VEHICLE HEAD ON AND THEN ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE SIDE, CONSUMER STATED THE TREAD SEPARATED. *SLC;
1986 CADILLAC CIMARRON Complaints
DRIVER SEAT BROKE NOT SECURED TO CAR FLIPS BACK MAJOR SAFTY HAZARD MAY FALL INTO BACK SEAT WHEN ACCELERATING.;
1986 CHEVROLET C15 Complaints
DUAL GAS TANKS ARE LEAKING. THE OTHER ONE IS RUSTED FROM MUD BUILD UP. CONSUMER TOOK CAR TO NAPA, AND THEY SAID THAT THE TANK WAS OBSOLETE AND WOULD HAVE TO PUCHASE ONE USED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK;