The defect
THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME MAY HAVE FOAM AND/OR VINYL BETWEEN THEM, CREATING A "SOFT" JOINT. THIS "SOFT" JOINT RESULTS IN LOWER THAN SPECIFIED BOLT TORQUE WHICH LEADS TO JOINT LOOSENESS, CAUSING BOLT FATIGUE AND EVENTUAL BOLT FAILURE.
The risk
IF BOLT FAILURE OCCURS TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT, IT WOULDALLOW THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDENLY RECLINE, AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FOAM AND/OR VINYL FROM BETWEEN THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME "SOFT" JOINT AND REPLACE THE RECLINER BOLTS.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet Astro | 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 |
| Chevrolet Suburban | 1989, 1990 |
| GMC Safari | 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 |
| GMC Suburban | 1989, 1990 |
Components: SEATS
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Astro | 1985 | 5 | 3 |
| Chevrolet Astro | 1986 | 23 | 1 |
| Chevrolet Astro | 1987 | 29 | 2 |
| Chevrolet Astro | 1988 | 56 | 2 |
| Chevrolet Astro | 1989 | 57 | 3 |
| Chevrolet Astro | 1990 | 68 | 4 |
| Chevrolet Astro | 1991 | 95 | 3 |
| Chevrolet Suburban | 1989 | 62 | 3 |
| Chevrolet Suburban | 1990 | 54 | 3 |
| GMC Safari | 1985 | 1 | 2 |
| GMC Safari | 1986 | 7 | 1 |
| GMC Safari | 1987 | 11 | 1 |
| GMC Safari | 1988 | 7 | 2 |
| GMC Safari | 1989 | 18 | 3 |
| GMC Safari | 1990 | 35 | 4 |
| GMC Safari | 1991 | 39 | 3 |
| GMC Suburban | 1989 | 17 | 2 |
| GMC Suburban | 1990 | 22 | 2 |
Other seats recalls in 1993
9 of the 223 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1993 concerned the seats; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 93V216000 14 Dec 1993 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 93V213000 14 Dec 1993 | CHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 93V193000 23 Nov 1993 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 93V163000 27 Sept 1993 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 93V110000 7 Jul 1993 | C.T.I. INCORPORATED |
| 93V090000 20 May 1993 | TRADEWINDS CONVERSIONS |
| 93V035000 9 Mar 1993 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 93V029000 3 Mar 1993 | THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1993