- Vehicles
- 93,317
- Built between
- Sep 1985 – Nov 1985
- Models
- 19
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 15 May 1986
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between September 1985 and November 1985. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1986 Buick EstateBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Cadillac CimarronBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Cadillac DevilleBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Cadillac FleetwoodBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Chevrolet CamaroBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Chevrolet CavalierBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Chevrolet CelebrityBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Chevrolet ChevetteBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1985-1986 Chevrolet Chevrolet TruckBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Chevrolet CorvetteBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Chevrolet Monte CarloBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 GMC GM OF CanadaBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1985-1986 GMC GMCBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Pontiac 1000Built September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Pontiac 6000Built September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Pontiac BonnevilleBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Pontiac Grand PrixBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Pontiac ParisienneBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
- 1986 Pontiac SunbirdBuilt September 1985 to November 1985
What the defect is
The push-pull headlight switch may have electrical contacts which allow an intermittent headlight circuit causing headlight to flicker or suddenly go out. Consequence of defect: sudden loss of the headlights under severe weather or nighttime driving conditions could reduce driver visibility which might result in a vehicle crash without prior warning. Note: also, see NHTSA campaign number 86V131000.
What gets fixed
REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AS NECESSARY.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtSeptember 1985 to November 1985
- Recall reported to NHTSA28 April 1986
- Owners notified15 May 1986
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 28 April 1986.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Official source
- Recalling manufacturer
- GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Recall initiated by
- MFR
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Additional notes
System: headlight switch. Vehicle description: passenger cars, trucks and vans.
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.