NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Engineering Analysis EA85-046: POWER BRAKE ASSIST
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA85-046 on August 30, 1985 and closed it on July 24, 1987. NHTSA's investigations file lists 4 models from 4 makes for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EA85-046 (also written EA85046)
- Investigation type
- Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
- Status
- Closed July 24, 1987
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- General Motors, LLC
- Component
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic
- Vehicles and equipment
- 4 models from 4 makes, including the Buick Century and Chevrolet Celebrity
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA85-046.
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER: IN ANALYZING THIS MATTER GMIDENTIFIED THREE PRIMARY SOURCES FOR THE COMPLAINTS.THE FIRST INVOLVESA GRADUAL DETERIORATION IN PERFORMANCE OF BELT DRIVEN VACUUM PUMPS.AC-CORDING TO GM, VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH VACUUM PUMPS ARE ALSO EQUIPPED WITHA LOW VACUUM WARNING LIGHT, WHICH IS ILLUMINATED WHEN BOOSTER VACUUMFALLS BELOW 10 IN. HG.THIS SIGNALS THE DRIVER THAT MAINTENANCE IS NEED-ED.THE SECOND SOURCE OF COMPLAINTS WAS TRACED TO A QUALITY CONTROL PROB-LEM ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER DIAPHRAGM SUPPLIERS. USE OFPARTS FROM THIS SUPPLIER WAS DISCONTINUED IN SEPTEMBER 1984.
THE THIRDCOMPLAINT SOURCE IDENTIFIED BY GM IS THE LOW VACUUM WARNING LIGHT IN 1982MODELS. ACCORDING TO GM, THE LIGHT INDICATED LOW VACUUM WHEN THERE WAS NOPROBLEM OR A LEAK IN THE SWITCH RESULTED IN REDUCED VACUUM AND ILLUMINA-TION OF THE LIGHT.THIS WAS ALSO TRACED TO A GM SUPPLIER THAT WAS DIS-CONTINUED IN 1982.
GM ISSUED FIELD SERVICE INFORMATION COVERING SWITCHREPLACEMENT IN LATE 1982.
ANALYSIS: GM HAS IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC VEHICLE COMPONENTS RESPONSIBLE FORREDUCED POWER BRAKE VACUUM ASSIST AMONG THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE NUMBERAND NATURE OF THE ODI AND GM COMPLAINTS RECEIVED ALONG WITH THE ALLEGEDACCIDENTS REPORTED INDICATE A POTENTIAL VEHICLE SAFETY PROBLEM.STATUS:THE FINAL REPORT CONCERNING THE OWNER SURVEY FROM THEAUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WAS RECEIVED ON 6/10/87.===
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA85-046. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Buick
All Buick recallsChevrolet
Chevrolet Celebrity
- 1982, 1983, 1984
Oldsmobile
All Oldsmobile recallsPontiac
Pontiac 6000
- 1982, 1983, 1984
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for EA85-046
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.