The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE ARM CAN CONTACT A BRAKE LINE WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM MODULATOR VALVE. THIS CONTACT CAN CHAFE THE BRAKE LINE RESULTING IN A BRAKE FLUID LEAK.
The risk
BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE CAN CAUSE REDUCED BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS AND INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A BRAKE LINE CLIP TO ENSURE PROPER CLEARANCE. ALSO THE BRAKE LINES WILL BE INSPECTED TO ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY THIS CONDITION AND WILL REPLACE ANY DAMAGED LINES.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet Venture | 1997, 1998 |
| Oldsmobile Silhouette | 1997, 1998 |
| Pontiac Trans Sport | 1997, 1998 |
Components: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES
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 Venture | 1997 | 432 | 6 |
| Chevrolet Venture | 1998 | 409 | 7 |
| Oldsmobile Silhouette | 1997 | 104 | 6 |
| Oldsmobile Silhouette | 1998 | 170 | 7 |
| Pontiac Trans Sport | 1997 | 236 | 5 |
| Pontiac Trans Sport | 1998 | 227 | 5 |
Other visibility recalls in 1998
17 of the 367 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1998 concerned the visibility; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 98V329000 22 Dec 1998 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 98V326000 21 Dec 1998 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 98V309000 7 Dec 1998 | THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. |
| 98V293000 9 Nov 1998 | COLLINS BUS CORPORATION |
| 98V260000 20 Oct 1998 | ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED |
| 98V177000 4 Aug 1998 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 98V150001 1 Jul 1998 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 98V150002 1 Jul 1998 | ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1998