NHTSA safety recall
Recall 73V013000: STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
GENERAL MOTORS CORP. · Reported to NHTSA Jan 24, 1973
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.govWhat this recall covers
NHTSA's campaign record, quoted as published
The defect
THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS THAT DRIVING ON UNPAVED ROAD SURFACES, PARTICULARLY ROADS WHICH ARE HEAVILY GRAVELED AND WHICH ARE EXTREMELY WAVY OR FILLED WITH CHUCKHOLES, AT SPEEDS WHICH CAUSE THE CAR TO PITCH EXCESSIVELY, THE FRONT CROSSMEMBER MAY SCOOP UP LOOSE STONES OR GRAVEL AND COULD BE THROWN INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ONE OF THESE STONES TO LODGE BETWEEN THE STEERING COUPLING AND THE FRAME AND CAUSE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT OR INTERFERENCE WITH STEERING CONTROL OF THE CAR WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED TO THE LEFT.
The risk
INCREASED STEERING EFFORT OR INTERFERENCE WITH STEERINGCONTROL MAY LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
The remedy
INSPECT AND INSTALL SHIELD ON AFFECTED VEHICLES.
Notes
SYSTEM: STEERING.VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER CARS.
A 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.
Campaign details
Identifiers and dates as filed with NHTSA
- Manufacturer
- GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Manufacturer's campaign number
- Not recorded
- NHTSA campaign number
- 73V013000
- Units potentially affected
- 3,707,064
- Report received
- Jan 24, 1973
- Production range
- Aug 1, 1970 – Jul 1, 1972
- Campaign type
- Vehicle
- Federal safety standard (FMVSS)
- Not recorded
Vehicles covered
36 model years across 18 models
- Buick Centurion
- Buick Electra
- Buick Estate Wagon
- Buick Lesabre
- Buick Riviera
- Chevrolet Belair
- Chevrolet Biscayne
- Chevrolet Brookwood
- Chevrolet Caprice
- Chevrolet Impala
- Chevrolet Kingswood
- Chevrolet Kingswood Estate
- Chevrolet Townsman
- Oldsmobile 88
- Oldsmobile 98
- Pontiac Bonneville
- Pontiac Catalina
- Pontiac Grand Ville
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.