1983 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Recalls, Complaints & Safety

EQUIPMENT

CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS ARE MARKED WITH A DATE CODE A61451 THROUGH A72571 SEQUENTIALLY. THE DATE CODE AND PART NUMBER APPEAR ON THE FILTER HOUSING. FRAM RACING HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS NOT BEARING A DATE CODE IN THIS RANGE ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. THE GASKET OF THE OIL FILTER BECOMES MORE PLIABLE UNDER HIGH TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES.

Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.

121,680 vehicles affected

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

THE MASTER CYLINDER REAR BRAKE PIPE, WHICH CARRIES BRAKE FLUID TO THE REAR BRAKES, MAY DEVELOP A LEAK DUE TO EXTENDED CHAFING ON THE AIR CLEANER RESONATOR BRACKET.

Remedy: IF UPON INSPECTION THE DEALER FINDS THAT THERE IS INADEQUATE CLEARANCE, THE PIPE WILL BE REFORMED TO OBTAIN THE NECESSARY THREE QUARTER INCH SPACE. ONLY THOSE PIPES SHOWING SIGNS OF WEAR WILL BE REPLACED.

4,667 vehicles affected

A COMPANY NAMED KINETECH (KINETECHLLC.COM) IS IN VIOLATION OF TITLE 49 USC, CHAPTER 301, MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, PART 571 STANDARD NO. 108 (COMMONLY KNOWN AS FMVSS 108), BY MANUFACTURING, AND INTRODUCING INTO INTERSTATE COMMERCE, A PRODUCT THAT RENDERS REGULATED MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EQUIPMENT INOPERATIVE. THIS PRODUCT IS THE "PULSE" (WWW.PULSEPROTECTS.COM), A DEVICE THAT THEY CLAIM "PULSES" THE CENTER HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMP (CHMSL), BUT DESPITE THEIR DESCRIPTION, THE PRODUCT IS IN VIOLATION OF THE REQUIREMENT THAT BRAKE LAMPS ARE TO BE "STEADY BURNING". I SUBMIT THAT THIS PRODUCT RENDERS THE CHMSL INOPERATIVE. THE PRODUCT IS DESCRIBED ON THEIR WEBSITE HERE: HTTP://PULSEPROTECTS.COM/PRODUCT-INFO THERE, THEY CLAIM THAT IT "MEETS REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR USE IN ALL 50 STATES", BUT THE VIDEOS (AT HTTP://PULSEPROTECTS.COM/VIDEOS) CLEARLY SHOW THE LAMPS ARE NOT "STEADY BURNING", WHETHER "PULSING" OR "FLASHING" (THE PERFORMANCE OF THE LAMP SEEMS TO VARY BY VEHICLE IN THE VIDEOS AND AS OBSERVED LOCALLY). IN ADDITION TO NONCONFORMITY WITH THE LAW, THE PRODUCT DOES NOT COMMUNICATE AN UNAMBIGUOUS MESSAGE AS STOP LAMPS SHOULD, AND MAY, DUE TO THE AMBIGUITY, ACTUALLY RESULT IN MORE REAR-END COLLISIONS. *TR

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHERE THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS KILLED DUE TO SEAT BELT FAILURE. *AK

Crash 2 injured 1 deaths