RoadVitals

American Motors Recalls, Complaints & Safety Data

NHTSA safety recalls, owner-reported complaints and investigations, by model and model year · 1965–1988

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received. This total counts a complaint once for each American Motors model year it names.
10
Safety recallsDistinct NHTSA recall campaigns covering at least one American Motors model year. One campaign can cover several models and many model years; it is counted once here.
69
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
7
Models coveredModels with at least one model year that has enough NHTSA data to publish.
21
23 model years

Overview

Our database holds 10 NHTSA owner-reported complaints filed against American Motors vehicles. Our database also holds 69 safety recall campaigns and 7 NHTSA investigations covering at least one American Motors model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

American Motors models

Ordered by total owner-reported complaint volume, which is not a ranking of quality

American Motors models with published safety data
ModelModel yearsComplaintsRecalls
Eagle1980–1988812
Concord1978–1983110
Spirit1979–198514
68 Series196803
69 Series196903
Alliance1983–198501
Ambassador1967–1974015
American196701
American Motors1965–197004
Amx1968–198003
Encore1983–198501
Gremlin1970–1978014
Hornet1970–1976011
Hornet Sportabout197401
Javelin1968–197309
Javelin Amx197101
Marlin196701
Matador1971–1976012
Pacer1974–197805
Rambler196901
Rebel1967–1970012

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Complaint totals count a report once for each model year it names; recall totals count a campaign once per model.

Recently issued recalls

The 8 newest campaigns covering a American Motors vehicle in our database

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
09E0210005 American Motors models

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMPFEDERAL-MOGUL CORPORATION IS RECALLING 2,790 MECHANICAL FUEL PUMPS, P/NO. M6737 SOLD UNDER CARTER AND NAPA BRANDS AND P/NO. 2M6737 SOLD UNDER ACCU-FLOW AND TRU-FLOW BRANDS SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2008 AND MARCH 2009 FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE FUEL PUMP DIAPHRAGM ROD IN CERTAIN PRODUCTION RUNS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED PUMP DIAPHRAGM RODS MAY CAUSE THE PUMP TO PRODUCE EXCESS PRESSURE.

07E0640004 American Motors models

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMPCERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF CARTER, ACCUFLOW, NAPA, TRUFLOW, PARTS DEPO, AND PARTS MASTER, SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2006 AND JULY 2007 FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE FUEL PUMP DIAPHRAGM IN CERTAIN PRODUCTION RUNS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED OR INADEQUATELY TESTED WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FUEL PUMP TO LEAK.

85V007000Alliance, Encore

STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)THE MANUAL STEERING GEAR UNIT MAY LACK INTEGRITY DUE TO THE HEAVY USE OF ROAD SALT IN CERTAIN AREAS OF HEAVY SNOW FALL. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: DAMAGE TO THE STEERING GEAR COULD CAUSE HANDLING DIFFICULTY WHICH MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.

83V119000Eagle

STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARMFRONT WHEELS MAY WOBBLE DUE TO THE INADVERTENT OMISSION OF A WHEEL BEARING CUP DURING ASSEMBLY.

82V1260003 American Motors models

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:LUBRICANTORIGINAL PRODUCTION TRANSMISSION LUBRICANT USED IN THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, MAY NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE LUBRICATION TO PROTECT THE TRANSMISSION"S FIRST GEAR.

82V053000Concord, Eagle

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELDON CERTAIN VEHICLES THE WINDSHIELD IS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED. THE ADHESION BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD GLASS AND URETHANE SEALING IS INCOMPLETE. THIS FAILS TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, "WINDSHIELD MOUNTING".

81V1100003 American Motors models

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOODTHE UNDERHOOD WIRING HARNESS AND VENTILATING HOSE MAY HAVE BEEN MISROUTED DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY. MISROUTING MAY CAUSE CHAFING BETWEEN THE HARNESS AND VARIOUS OTHER COMPONENTS, RESULTING IN SHORT CIRCUITS AND MALFUNCTION OF ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES. THE SWITCH WHICH ACTIVATES THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT MAY NOT FUNCTION. THE CRANKCASE VENTILATION HOSE MAY BE TOO CLOSE TO THE AIR INJECTION MANIFOLD TUBE AND COULD BE DAMAGED IF ENGINE OVERHEATS.

81V0810003 American Motors models

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLTHE CRUISE COMMAND ACTUATION CHAIN MAY CATCH ON THE THROTTLE LINKAGE, CAUSING THE THROTTLE TO REMAIN IN A PARTIALLY OPEN POSITION.

Browse by model year

Every year with at least one publishable American Motors model year

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .