The defect
SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A STRAINED OR SEPARATED WASHER/WIPER SWITCH POWER FEED WIRE.
The risk
THIS CAN CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WASHER/WIPER TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND COULD ULTIMATELY RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR IN A SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE OLD DESIGNED WASHER/WIPER SWITCHES WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Buick Regal | 1994, 1995 |
| Chevrolet Lumina | 1995 |
| Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 1995 |
| Oldsmobile Cutlass | 1994, 1995 |
| Pontiac Grand Prix | 1994, 1995 |
Components: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
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 | 1994 | 110 | 3 |
| Buick Regal | 1995 | 173 | 8 |
| Chevrolet Lumina | 1995 | 492 | 6 |
| Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 1995 | 169 | 3 |
| Oldsmobile Cutlass | 1994 | 148 | 4 |
| Oldsmobile Cutlass | 1995 | 156 | 3 |
| Pontiac Grand Prix | 1994 | 213 | 1 |
| Pontiac Grand Prix | 1995 | 169 | 3 |
Other visibility recalls in 1997
9 of the 268 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1997 concerned the visibility; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 97V121000 4 Aug 1997 | VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC |
| 97V102000 19 Jun 1997 | PREVOST CAR, INCORPORATED |
| 97V077000 9 May 1997 | CARPENTER INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 97V083000 5 May 1997 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 97V026000 26 Feb 1997 | HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA |
| 97V015000 10 Feb 1997 | CHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 97V008002 29 Jan 1997 | ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED |
| 97V008001 27 Jan 1997 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1997