The defect
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800 V6 (L36) ENGINES AND CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, THE REGULATORS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL RATE OF FUEL LEAKS. A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START WHEN CRANKED, THE FUEL FROM THE LEAKING REGULATOR AND A MISTIMED SPARK CAN CAUSE A BACKFIRE.
The risk
THE BACKFIRE CAN RUPTURE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE RUPTURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAN DISPLACE A FUEL LINE, PULLING AN INJECTOR OUT OF PLACE, AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAK AND POSSIBLE FIRE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH IMPROVED DIAPHRAGMS. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASED MAILINGS. PHASE 1 BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004, AND PHASE 2 BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Buick LeSabre | 1998, 1999, 2000 |
| Buick Park Avenue | 1998, 1999, 2000 |
| Chevrolet Impala | 2000 |
| Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 2000 |
| Oldsmobile 88 | 1998, 1999 |
| Pontiac Bonneville | 1998, 1999, 2000 |
Components: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buick LeSabre | 1998 | 400 | 1 |
| Buick LeSabre | 1999 | 209 | 2 |
| Buick LeSabre | 2000 | 669 | 5 |
| Buick Park Avenue | 1998 | 246 | 2 |
| Buick Park Avenue | 1999 | 140 | 3 |
| Buick Park Avenue | 2000 | 81 | 3 |
| Chevrolet Impala | 2000 | 818 | 7 |
| Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 2000 | 233 | 5 |
| Oldsmobile 88 | 1998 | 164 | 1 |
| Oldsmobile 88 | 1999 | 77 | 2 |
| Pontiac Bonneville | 1998 | 277 | 1 |
| Pontiac Bonneville | 1999 | 143 | 3 |
| Pontiac Bonneville | 2000 | 214 | 2 |
Other fuel system, gasoline recalls in 2004
53 of the 601 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2004 concerned the fuel system, gasoline; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 04V607000 23 Dec 2004 | HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY |
| 04V609000 22 Dec 2004 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 04V570000 3 Dec 2004 | MITSUBISHI FUSO TRUCK OF AMERICA, INC. |
| 04V557000 19 Nov 2004 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. |
| 04V541000 18 Nov 2004 | HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.) |
| 04V530000 1 Nov 2004 | MACK TRUCKS, INC |
| 04V514000 26 Oct 2004 | POLARIS INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 04V465000 30 Sept 2004 | HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2004