RoadVitals

1982 Dolphin Dolphin

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

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.
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Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Oct 5, 1984
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.
2
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1982 Dolphin Dolphin. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 2 NHTSA investigations name it.

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

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

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
84V121000

SUSPENSION:REAR

Oct 5, 1984
54 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH REAR AXLES AND REAR BEARINGS THAT ARE INADEQUATE FOR THE LOAD THAT IS APPLIED ON THEM. CARRYING HEAVY LOADS AND TRAVELING ON ROUGH ROADWAYS MAY CAUSE DETERIORATION OF THE BEARINGS. WHEN THE BEARINGS BECOME WORN, HEAT BUILDS UP IN THE AXLE AND BEARING, AND MAY RESULT IN A BROKEN AXLE.
The remedy: THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING WHEELS AND TIRES WILL BE REPLACED.
DOLPHIN RV PRODUCTS INC.View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE86074ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE

Opened Aug 18, 1986
Closed Mar 12, 1987

SUMMARY:INFORMATION WAS REQUESTED AND RECEIVED FROM THE FOLLOWING:MANUFACTURER CONTACT RECEIVED TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION 8/18/8611/10/86 NISSAN MOTOR CORPORATION 8/20/8610/31/86 GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION 8/20/8610/31/86 FORD MOTOR COMPANY 8/20/8610/28/86 CHRYSLER CORPORATION12/11/86 2/06/87ANALYSIS: THE INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE VARIOUS CHASSIS SUPPLIERS INDICATES THAT THEY DO NOT SUPPORT LOADING A CHASSIS IN EXCESS OF THEIR ESTABLISHED GVWR AND WILL NOT NORMALLY WARRANT REPAIR.THE OEM MANUFACTURERS WOULD NOT ENDORSE THE MODIFICATIONS TO THEIR VEHICLES BY THE MICRO-MINI MOTORHOME MANUFACTURERS WITHOUT EXTENSIVE TESTING.PROPOSED ACTION: CLOSE THE PE, INFORMATION USED IN EXISTING EAS.===

SUSPENSION
EA84035ClosedEngineering Analysis

REAR SUSPENSION

Opened Sep 27, 1984
Closed Apr 27, 1987

SUMMARY:NATIONAL (FORMERLY DOLPHIN) IS THE LARGEST MICRO-MINI MOTORHOME MANUFACTURER.SINCE 1980 ALL THEIR VEHICLES HAVE BEEN 20 FT OR GREATER, REQUIRING EXTENDED FRAMES AND AFTERMARKET DUAL REAR WHEEL CONVERSIONS.NATIONAL HAS BUILT ON TOYOTA, NISSAN AND CHEVROLET MINI TRUCK CHASSIS.NATIONAL HAS UPGRADED THE GVWR OF THEIR UNITS AFTER CONDUCTING COME FMVSS 105 BRAKE COMPLIANCE TESTS.ANALYSIS:RECEIPT OF FAILURE REPORTS INDICATES THAT NATIONAL'S RELIANCE ON THE BRAKE COMPLIANCE TESTING IS NOT SUFFICIENT AND THAT THE VEHICLES ARE OVERLOADED.STATUS:DEFECT REVIEW PANEL HELD ON 4/27/87. CLOSED THIS EA AND OPENED INVESTIGATIVE CASE C87-001-001.======

WHEELS:RIMLed to recall 84V156000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

No owner complaints recorded for this model year

Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Dolphin Dolphin by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1993100—
1989100—
1988300—
1987100—
1986201—
1985001—
1984002—
1983222—
1982Viewing012—
1981002—
1980002—
1979202—
1978202—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.