NHTSA campaign 04V036000 · Manufacturer campaign 04002
GENERAL MOTORS CORP. Recall 04V-036: GM/IGNITION SWITCH
NHTSA recall 04V036000 (Manufacturer campaign 04002) was reported by GENERAL MOTORS CORP. on January 27, 2004, with 1,415,231 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Chevrolet Cavalier, Pontiac Sunfire, Buick Skylark and more for model years 1998–2001. Owners were notified on March 1, 2004, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 04V036000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 04V036000 (also written 04V-036 or 04V036)
- Filed by
- GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Manufacturer campaign number
- 04002
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 1,415,231 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Electrical System — Ignition — Switch
- Owners notified
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 04V036000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
Buick
Buick Skylark
- 1998 · Vehicles built March 1, 1997 – January 31, 1998 (per NHTSA)
Chevrolet
Chevrolet Cavalier
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile Achieva
- 1998 · Vehicles built March 1, 1997 – January 31, 1998 (per NHTSA)
Pontiac
Pontiac Grand Am
- 1998 · Vehicles built March 1, 1997 – January 31, 1998 (per NHTSA)
Pontiac Sunfire
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 04V036000.
Defect description
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS.
Safety consequence
IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. THE FIRE COULD SPREAD TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR, WHICH COULD INJURE OCCUPANTS OR CAUSE DAMAGE TO ADJOINING STRUCTURES.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT IN THESE VEHICLES TO PREVENT HIGH CURRENT FROM FLOWING THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND CHECK THAT YOUR CAR WILL START WITH A PROPERLY CHARGED BATTERY AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BEGIN ON MARCH 1, 2004. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CHECK THEIR VEHICLE ONLINE BY GOING TO WWW.MYGMLINK.COM AND ENTERING THE VEHICLE'S IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.
Notes
GM RECALL NO. 04002.CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 04V036000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.