The defect
BRAKE STOPLAMPS MAY NOT ILLUMINATE OR, IN SOME CASES, STOPLAMPS WILL NOT STAY ILLUMINATED ALL THE TIME WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED DUE TO A FAULTY STOPLAMP SWITCH. ALSO IN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL, A FAULTY STOPLAMP SWITCH CAN RESULT IN RESUMPTION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION UPON RELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL.
The risk
A TRAILING VEHICLE MAY NOT RECOGNIZE A BRAKING ACTIONIN TIME TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL WILL REENGAGE UPONRELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND RESUME THE SET SPEED. IN EITHER CASE, IT COULDRESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
The remedy
INSTALL AN IMPROVED DESIGN STOPLAMP SWITCH.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Buick Regal | 1989, 1990 |
| Chevrolet Lumina | 1990 |
| Oldsmobile Cutlass | 1989, 1990 |
| Pontiac Grand Prix | 1989, 1990 |
Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
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 Regal | 1989 | 106 | 7 |
| Buick Regal | 1990 | 77 | 8 |
| Chevrolet Lumina | 1990 | 427 | 7 |
| Oldsmobile Cutlass | 1989 | 113 | 6 |
| Oldsmobile Cutlass | 1990 | 103 | 6 |
| Pontiac Grand Prix | 1989 | 139 | 9 |
| Pontiac Grand Prix | 1990 | 176 | 8 |
Other exterior lighting recalls in 1990
6 of the 208 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1990 concerned the exterior lighting; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 90V183000 16 Oct 1990 | FLEETWOOD ENT., INC. |
| 90V154000 5 Sept 1990 | CLASSIC INTERNATIONAL |
| 90V122000 26 Jun 1990 | FLXIBLE CORPORATION |
| 90V084000 4 May 1990 | EMPIRE COACH COMPANY |
| 90V024000 8 Feb 1990 | JAGUAR ROVER TRIUMPH INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1990