The defect
DEFECTIVE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT ATTACHMENT NUTS WERE NOT PROPERLY TORQUED AND CAN LOOSEN.
The risk
IF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT LOOSENS, FATIGUES AND SEPARATES FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION KNUCKLE, IT COULD CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT ATTACHMENT NUTS FOR PROPER TORQUE. IF THE BALL JOINT HAS LOOSENED FROM THE KNUCKLE, BOTH THE BALL JOINT AND THE KNUCKLE WILL BE REPLACED.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Buick Roadmaster | 1994, 1995 |
| Cadillac Fleetwood | 1994, 1995 |
| Chevrolet Caprice | 1994, 1995 |
Components: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
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 Roadmaster | 1994 | 85 | 5 |
| Buick Roadmaster | 1995 | 50 | 5 |
| Cadillac Fleetwood | 1994 | 16 | 5 |
| Cadillac Fleetwood | 1995 | 18 | 5 |
| Chevrolet Caprice | 1994 | 146 | 6 |
| Chevrolet Caprice | 1995 | 88 | 7 |
Other suspension recalls in 1996
25 of the 297 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1996 concerned the suspension; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 96V252000 18 Dec 1996 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 96V233004 2 Dec 1996 | VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC |
| 96V240000 27 Nov 1996 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 96V233002 22 Nov 1996 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 96V233003 20 Nov 1996 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 96V227001 15 Nov 1996 | ELDORADO NATIONAL |
| 96V188000 25 Sept 1996 | KARAVAN TRAILERS |
| 96V124006 10 Sept 1996 | MAXIM TRUCK COMPANY, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1996