THE MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT RESULTS IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND A RESULTING INCREASE IN SYSTEM PRESSURE.
Safety risk
VEHICLES OPERATED UNDER THIS INCREASED COOLING SYSTEMPRESSURE CONDITION CAN SUFFER DAMAGE OR FAILURE OF PARTS OF THE COOLING SYSTEMSUCH AS (1) LEAKAGE FROM A COOLANT HOSE, (2) LEAKAGE OF THE RADIATOR OREXPANSION TANK, (3) DISCONNECTION OF A HOSE FROM A PIPE OR A FITTING, AND (4)CRACKS IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE RESULTING IN COOLANT LEAKAGE. IN SOME CASES,BOILING COOLANT CAN CONTACT THE LOWER RIGHT LEG OF THE DRIVER RESULTING INBURNS. ALSO, ESCAPING COOLANT IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAN CAUSE VAPORFOGGING OF THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE WINDOWS, REDUCING DRIVER VISIBILITY.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A THERMOSTATIC BYPASS VALVE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO CONTROL COOLANT TEMPERATURE IN THE HEATER CORE. ALSO, A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP WILL BE INSTALLED, TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.
BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH COULD OVERHEAT, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO MELTING OF PLASTIC INTERNAL PARTS IN AREA OF ELECTRICAL CONTACTS.
Safety risk
CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SWITCH PLUNGER COULD JAM, RENDERING BRAKE LIGHTS EITHER INOPERATIVE OR CONTINUOUSLY ILLIMINATED, REGARDLESS OF BRAKE PEDAL OPERATION.
Manufacturer remedy
REPLACE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WITH REVISED SWITCH WITH INCREASED ELECTRICAL LOAD CAPACITY.
THE TWO PARTS OF THE STEERING COLUMN DISENGAGEMENT ELEMENT COULD COMPLETELY DISCONNECT IF THE CAR CONTACTS AN OBJECT IN THE ROADWAY OR ELSEWHERE OF SUFFICIENT MASS TO APPLY A SIGNIFICANT FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE STEERING GEARBOX. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: STEERING CONTROL WOULD BE LOST.
Manufacturer remedy
BOLT TWO SPECIALLY FORMED PLATES TO THE DISENGAGEMENT ELEMENT SO THAT STEERING CAPABILITY WILL BE RETAINED.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
The 1985 model has 11 times as many complaints as this one. The 1987 model has about a third as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.