NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
NHTSA investigations
11EA90017 · Brake Failure
Opened Mar 26, 1990 · Closed Apr 22, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE89171 · Brake Failure
Opened Sep 26, 1989 · Closed Mar 26, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
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EA89028 · Rear Brake Pin
Opened Jul 28, 1989 · Closed Jul 27, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
SUMMARY:THESE VEHICLES HAVE REAR DRUM BRAKES.THE PARKING LEVER PIVOTPIN IS HELD BY AN E RING.WHEN THE RING FAILS, PARTS OF THE RING ANDPIN FALL LOOSE INTO THE DRUM AND MAY JAM THE BRAKE, LOCKING THE WHEEL.A STRONGER E RING IS USED IN 1988 AND NEWER CARS.THIS INVESTIGATIONHAS BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE GMS C BODY CARS LISTED ABOVE (E RING COMMONTO ALL CARS SHOWN).===
PE89101 · Rear Brake Pin
Opened Mar 15, 1989 · Closed Jul 28, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
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PE89098 · Anti Lock Brakes
Opened Mar 10, 1989 · Closed May 17, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
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C89001 · Throttle NON-RETURN
Opened Mar 6, 1989 · Closed Jan 16, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
PE88107 · Power Steering Hose
Opened Sep 22, 1988 · Closed Feb 9, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
EA88019 · Hydro Boost
Opened Jan 28, 1988 · Closed Oct 31, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
EA87022 · Stalling
Opened Aug 27, 1987 · Closed Nov 27, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
SUMMARY:THE COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT STALLING IS DUE TO VARIOUS FAULTYCOMPONENTS OF THE FUEL INJECTION AND/OR IGNITION SYSTEM. THE FOLLOWINGMODELS ARE INVOLVED:BUICK ELECTRA, LESABRE, RIVERA, CENTURY; OLDS CUTLASSCIERA, 88, 98, TORONADO; PONTIAC BONNEVILLE.STATUS:THIS INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.WE ARE CONTINUING TO ANALYZEINFORMATION PROVIDED BY GM AND ARE PREPARING AN ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONREQUEST TO GM TO CLARIFY CERTAIN TECHNICAL ITEMS.===
PE87041 · Throttle System Failure
Opened Aug 4, 1987 · Closed Nov 30, 1987
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:GM REPORTED KNOWLEDGE OF 137OWNER COMPLAINTS, 317 FIELD REPORTS, AND 2 LAWSUITS, IN ADDITION TO THEREPORTS RECEIVED DIRECTLY BY THE NHTSA.THE REPORTS RECEIVED BY GM CITETHE OCCURRENCE OF 263 ACCIDENTS,INCLUDING 77 INJURY ACCIDENTS, 100 INJURIESAND 1 FATALITY.SEVERAL POSSIBLE MODES OF THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE OR MALFUNCTIONARE UNDER CONSIDERATION IN THIS PE, INCLUDING SELF-ACTUATION, FAILURE TODEACTIVATE UPON DRIVER COMMAND, AND THROTTLE SYSTEM STICKING OR BINDING.HAVING EVALUATED THE 456REPORTS RECEIVED DIRECTLY AND THE 36 CONSUMERCOMPLAINTS SUBMITTED BY NHTSA, GM INDICATED THAT NO MEANINGFUL FREQUENCYOR MODE OF MALFUNCTION COULD BE IDENTIFIED TO SUGGEST THE EXISTENCE OF ADEFECT WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY.SEVERAL DESIGN/MANUFACTURING CHANGES WERE IDENTIFIED AS RELEVANT TO THESUBJECT OF THIS PE; HOWEVER, NO SERVICE BULLETINS OR RECALL NOTIFICATIONSHAVE BEEN ISSUED ON THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM PROBLEMS.ANALYSIS:DURING GM'S COMPILATION AND EVALUATION OF INFORMATION REQUIREDTO RESPOND TO THE NHTSA'S REQUEST, INDICATIONS WERE GIVEN TO ODI THAT THENUMBER OF CONSUMER AND OTHER REPORTS CLEARLY SUGGESTED THE EXISTENCE OF ASAFETY PROBLEM AND THAT CORRECTIVE ACTION BY THE MANUFACTURER WERE INORDER.GM'S FORMAL LETTER RESPONSE, HOWEVER, RETREATED FROM THIS POSITION.NOTWITHSTANDING THE INCOMPLETE ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SUBMITTED TO THENHTSA, THE NUMBERS OF OWNER AND FIELD REPORTS, TOGETHER WITH CLEAR DATATO SHOW THAT THROTTLE SYSTEM FAILURES HAVE RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT NUMBERSOF ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES, INDICATE THAT A MORE RIGOROUS EVALUATION OF THISMATTER IS IN ORDER.===
PE87038 · Hydroboost Failure
Opened Jul 9, 1987 · Closed Jan 28, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
SUBJECT VEHICLES:CAPRICE, CAPRICE CLASSIC, CUSTOM CRUISER, DEVILLE,ELECTRA, ESTATE WAGON, FLEETWOOD, LESABRE, NINETY-EIGHT, PARISIENNE,PARK AVENUE.(ALL 1984-86 GM VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDROBOOST II SYSTEMS)ANALYSIS:CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGE SEVERAL PROBLEMS INVOLVING THE POWERSTEERING AND POWER BRAKE SYSTEMS OF THESE VEHICLES.THESE PROBLEMSINCLUDE: POWER STEERING FLUID LOSS, POWER BRAKE FLUID LOSS, LEAKAGE FROMTHE HYDRO-BOOST II POWER BRAKE BOOSTER, BROKEN BOOSTER SEALS, AND MASTERCYLINDER FAILURE.ALL PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE HYDRO-BOOST IIPOWER ASSIST SYSTEM, IN WHICH THE WORKING FLUID PROVIDES POWER ASSIST TO BOKE BOOSTER.THE EFFECT OF THESE PROBLEMS COULD BE A LOSS OF STEERINGCONTROL AND/OR BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS.STATUS:THE VOLUMINOUS AMOUNT OF DATA SUPPLIED BY GM IS PRESENTLY BEING CODED BY A CONTRACTOR AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY 12/30/87. GM DATA INDICATED A 50% WEIBULL DISTRIBUTION FAILURE AT 50K MILES FOR THE PISTON PUSH-ROD SEAL. THIS PE LOOKS TO HAVE AN EXTRODINARILY HIGH FREQUENCY, ALTHOUGH THE SEVERITY APEARS TO BE LOW.SHOULD BE INTERESTING DISCUSSING THIS FOR UPGRADE/CLOSURE.===
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