The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS, CREW CABS, UTILITY TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH THE POLARITY OF THE WIRING FOR THE ZERO ADJUST BRAKE SWITCH REVERSED FROM WHAT WAS SPECIFIED ON THE SWITCH DRAWING. WITH THE REVERSED POLARITY, THE CONTACTS IN THE BRAKE SWITCH CAN WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. THE BRAKE SWITCH WILL PERFORM NORMALLY UNTIL THE BRAKE SWITCH CONTACTS WEAR OUT, RESULTING IN LOSS OF THE BRAKE LAMPS WITHOUT ANY WARNING TO THE DRIVER.
The risk
THIS WOULD FAIL TO WARN A FOLLOWING DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE IS BRAKING AND COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE SWITCH AND REVERSE THE WIRING.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet C10 | 1994 |
| Chevrolet C20 | 1994 |
| Chevrolet C30 | 1994 |
| Chevrolet C3500 | 1994 |
| Chevrolet Suburban | 1994 |
| GMC C15 | 1994 |
| GMC C25 | 1994 |
| GMC C35 | 1994 |
| GMC C3500 | 1994 |
| GMC Suburban | 1994 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet C10 | 1994 | 20 | 9 |
| Chevrolet C20 | 1994 | 12 | 8 |
| Chevrolet C30 | 1994 | 7 | 7 |
| Chevrolet C3500 | 1994 | 18 | 1 |
| Chevrolet Suburban | 1994 | 858 | 3 |
| GMC C15 | 1994 | 7 | 8 |
| GMC C25 | 1994 | 2 | 8 |
| GMC C35 | 1994 | 2 | 7 |
| GMC C3500 | 1994 | 8 | 1 |
| GMC Suburban | 1994 | 411 | 3 |
Other exterior lighting recalls in 1999
17 of the 392 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1999 concerned the exterior lighting; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 99V347002 20 Dec 1999 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 99V355000 17 Dec 1999 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 99V356000 17 Dec 1999 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 99V358000 17 Dec 1999 | MAZDA (NORTH AMERICA),INC |
| 99V347001 10 Dec 1999 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 99V305002 1 Nov 1999 | MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN |
| 99V273001 20 Oct 1999 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 99V273002 15 Oct 1999 | AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1999