THE BRAUN CORPORATION HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA ABOUT A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 GENERAL MOTORS MOBILITY CONVERSION, HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE LOW FLOOR MINIVANS. DURING CONVERSION, THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE TRAILING ARM MODIFICATION MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ADEQUATELY WELDED.
DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS TM " BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE BREAKING IN THE HUB AREA.
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, 'PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.' TO MEET THE STANDARD, THE VEHICLE MUST NOT MOVE FOR FIVE MINUTES WHEN STOPPED ON A STEEP HILL WITH THE PARKING BRAKE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL (N). SOME OF THESE VEHICLES FAILED THIS TEST.
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE OUTBOARD RELEASE HANDLE ON THE IMPACT-SIDE SECOND-ROW BUCKET SEAT MAY BE ACTUATED AND THE REAR LATCHES MAY UNLATCH EARLY IN A SIDE IMPACT CRASH. THIS WAS DISCOVERED IN A SIDE IMPACT TEST RUN BY GM, UNDER CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO NHTSA'S NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) SIDE IMPACT TEST.
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Uplander. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle was drifting and would not drive in a straight line. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who performed a wheel alignment and changed the tires, but the failure persisted. The mechanic later diagnosed that the surface of all four alloy wheels had begun to deteriorate and was out of round. The contact was advised not to drive the vehicle until the wheels were replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 80,000.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
MY VAN HESITATES BETWEEN 2 AND 3 RPM'S. ESPECIALLY GOING UP A HILL, THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL BLINK FOR A FEW SECONDS. THEN ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON..THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR IS MALFUNCTIONING.. WHEEL BEARING IN THE REAR NEED REPLACEMENT.. AND THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE.. RADIO SKIPS, INTERIOR LIGHTS DON'T WORK AT ALL.. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT DOESN'T HEAT. THERES BARELY ANY HEAT EVEN WHEN GAUGE READS THE ENGINE IS NORMALLY WARM..
No injuries · No fire · No crash
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT BUCKLE INTO THE LATCH. THERE'S A METAL PIECE INSIDE THE LATCH BLOCKING IT FROM SLIDING IN AND SNAPPING IN. THIS STARTED HAPPENING A FEW DAYS AGO, PREVENTING ME FROM DRIVING THE VAN SINCE I CAN'T USE MY SEAT BELT.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
WHILE DRIVING DOWN I-75 IN MICHIGAN DOING ~75MPH, I FEEL A SHARP TUG THEN A SWAY. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME AND INSPECTED IT. THE WELDS ON THE BODY TO THE ATTACHING POINT OF THE REAR AXLE HAD BROKEN AND THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WAS TRACKING SIDEWAYS. THANK GOD NOTHING BAD HAPPENED, WE HAD ALL SIX OF OUR KIDS WITH US WHEN IT WENT OUT AT 75MPH.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
DRIVING THE VEHICLE ALONG THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH AT NIGHT, THE IGNITION SWITCH RUN POSITION ROTATED TO OFF AND THE ENGINE AND ALL HEADLIGHTS, DASH, ETC, SHUTDOWN ALONG WITH THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. THE INCIDENT HAS JUST STARTED HAPPENING AND 340,000 MILES ON IT. ONLY WAY TO GET ROLLING IS TO PUT THE AUTO TRANS LEVER TO NEUTRAL AND TWIST THE IGNITION KEY TO CRANK POSITION AND LET KEY SETTLE TO RUN POSITION. THE IGNITION SWITCH ITSELF HAS A SPRING DETENT AND IT SETS IN A POCKET AT RUN. SO THIS SWITCH HAS A SPRING THAT OVER TIME WEAKENS AND ALLOWS THE WHOLE KEY CYLINDER ANS SWITCH TO DROP OUT OF RUN AND SHUT OFF THE ELECTRICAL. SOLUTION WAS TO PUT IN A NEW SWITCH OR JUST USE A SINGLE KEY INSTEAD OF A FULL SET OF KEYS HANGING FROM THE KEY SLOT.. THE FULL REPLACEMENT OF THE SWITCH RUNS 350$, PRTS AND LABOR.
No injuries · No fire · No crash