Terry Thompson wrote:
>
> What would truly worry me is if no one cast a critical
> eye on a car.
>
> Engine fires? (I don't know of anyone that's had a
> spitfire engine catch on fire. My brother's Firebird
> did though.) I'm surprised they didn't mention the
> malfuctioning pop-up headlamp motors on TR7/8 cars. Or
> the head warping on Stags (I love the look of stags,
> but that engine was a dog).
For reference's sake, I had a look at recalls for the Spitfire from 1970
through 1980, and the following were the ones registered by NHTSA (and,
let's face it, they would notice):
1970:
Component: INTERIOR SYSTEMS:ACTIVE SEAT AND SHOULDER BELTS AND BELT
ANCHOR
Manufacturer: JAGUAR CARS
LIGHTING:SWITCH:BUTTON:RING:HEAD LIGHTS
1971:
CORR: TRIUMPH CAMPAIGN NO A431. POSSIBILITY THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER ARMS
AND BLADES REMOVED OR REPLACED IN SERVICE BY OWNERS OR INDEPENDENT
REPAIRERS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IMPROPERLY DUE TO INADEQUATE FITTING
INSTRUCTIONS.
THE HEADLAMP SWITCHES MAY MALFUNCTION ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. SHOULD
THIS OCCUR, LOSS OF HEADLAMP AND TAILLAMP ILLUMINATION MAY RESULT.
SWITCH BREAKAGE WILL ONLY OCCUR WHEN THE SWITCH IS BEING TURNED ON OR
OFF.
FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR IN THE ENGINE BAY AT FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS OR AT
THE FUEL PUMP. THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE FUEL LINES AND FUEL PUMP AND
WILL REPLACE THEM, IF NECESSARY, WITHOUT CHARGE. [This is likely related
to the report of engine compartment fires.]
1972:
CORR: BRITISH LEYLAND CAMPAIGN NO A422. POSSIBILITY THAT OUTER CARRIER
FOR REAR UNIVERSAL JOINT OF MAIN DRIVE SHAFT, WHICH IS SPIGOTTED INTO
DRIVE SHAFT TUBE MAY DEVELOP RADIAL CRACKS DUE TO FORGING PROCESSES OF
COMPONENT.
CORR: BRITISH LEYLAND CAMPAIGN NO A 424. POSSIBILITY THAT THE OUTSIDE
DOOR MIRROR ON DRIVERS SIDE DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL
MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 111. THE MIRROR HAS CURVED OR
CONVEX LENS INSTEAD OF REQUIRED FLAT GLASS LENS.
CORR: TRIUMPH CAMPAIGN NO A431. POSSIBILITY THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER ARMS
AND BLADES REMOVED OR REPLACED IN SERVICE BY OWNERS OR INDEPENDENT
REPAIRERS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IMPROPERLY DUE TO INADEQUATE FITTING
INSTRUCTIONS.
THE HEADLAMP SWITCHES MAY MALFUNCTION ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. SHOULD
THIS OCCUR, LOSS OF HEADLAMP AND TAILLAMP ILLUMINATION MAY RESULT.
SWITCH BREAKAGE WILL ONLY OCCUR WHEN THE SWITCH IS BEING TURNED ON OR
OFF.
FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR IN THE ENGINE BAY AT FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS OR AT
THE FUEL PUMP. THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE FUEL LINES AND FUEL PUMP AND
WILL REPLACE THEM, IF NECESSARY, WITHOUT CHARGE.
1973:
CORR: TRIUMPH CAMPAIGN NO A431. POSSIBILITY THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER ARMS
AND BLADES REMOVED OR REPLACED IN SERVICE BY OWNERS OR INDEPENDENT
REPAIRERS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IMPROPERLY DUE TO INADEQUATE FITTING
INSTRUCTIONS.
THE HEADLAMP SWITCHES MAY MALFUNCTION ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. SHOULD
THIS OCCUR, LOSS OF HEADLAMP AND TAILLAMP ILLUMINATION MAY RESULT.
SWITCH BREAKAGE WILL ONLY OCCUR WHEN THE SWITCH IS BEING TURNED ON OR
OFF.
FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR IN THE ENGINE BAY AT FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS OR AT
THE FUEL PUMP. THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE FUEL LINES AND FUEL PUMP AND
WILL REPLACE THEM, IF NECESSARY, WITHOUT CHARGE.
1974:
THE HEADLAMP SWITCHES MAY MALFUNCTION ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. SHOULD
THIS OCCUR, LOSS OF HEADLAMP AND TAILLAMP ILLUMINATION MAY RESULT.
SWITCH BREAKAGE WILL ONLY OCCUR WHEN THE SWITCH IS BEING TURNED ON OR
OFF.
FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR IN THE ENGINE BAY AT FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS OR AT
THE FUEL PUMP. THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE FUEL LINES AND FUEL PUMP AND
WILL REPLACE THEM, IF NECESSARY, WITHOUT CHARGE.
1975:
FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR IN THE ENGINE BAY AT FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS OR AT
THE FUEL PUMP. THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE FUEL LINES AND FUEL PUMP AND
WILL REPLACE THEM, IF NECESSARY, WITHOUT CHARGE.
1976:
FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR IN THE ENGINE BAY AT FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS OR AT
THE FUEL PUMP. THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE FUEL LINES AND FUEL PUMP AND
WILL REPLACE THEM, IF NECESSARY, WITHOUT CHARGE.
DUE TO THE ANGLE OF FITMENT OF THE FUEL TANK SEPARATOR, THE SEPARATOR
HOSE MAY BECOME KINKED. THIS KINKING MAY RESULT IN FUEL LINE RESTRICTION
WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FUEL TANK TO COLLAPSE. THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE
FUEL CONNECTOR HOSE IN A WAY THAT WILL PREVENT SEPARATOR HOSE KINKING.
THIS WILL BE DONE AT NO COST TO OWNER.
1977:
DUE TO THE ANGLE OF FITMENT OF THE FUEL TANK SEPARATOR, THE SEPARATOR
HOSE MAY BECOME KINKED. THIS KINKING MAY RESULT IN FUEL LINE RESTRICTION
WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FUEL TANK TO COLLAPSE. THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE
FUEL CONNECTOR HOSE IN A WAY THAT WILL PREVENT SEPARATOR HOSE KINKING.
THIS WILL BE DONE AT NO COST TO OWNER.
1978:
A DEFECTIVE WELD CONDITION MAY EXIST AT THE PEDAL TO ACCELERATOR ROD
CONNECTION. ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES WILL HAVE THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY
REPLACED.
DUE TO THE ANGLE OF FITMENT OF THE FUEL TANK SEPARATOR, THE SEPARATOR
HOSE MAY BECOME KINKED. THIS KINKING MAY RESULT IN FUEL LINE RESTRICTION
WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FUEL TANK TO COLLAPSE. THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE
FUEL CONNECTOR HOSE IN A WAY THAT WILL PREVENT SEPARATOR HOSE KINKING.
THIS WILL BE DONE AT NO COST TO OWNER.
THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABELS AND VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
PLATES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THIS DOES
NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 115, "VEHICLE
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER-BASIC REQUIREMENTS".
1979:
A CASTING DEFECT MAY BE PRESENT IN CERTAIN FRONT BRAKE CALIPER
ASSEMBLIES. THIS DEFECT MAY RESULT IN EVENTUAL CRACKING OF A BRAKE
CALIPER SECURING A LUG. THIS WOULD LEAD TO DECREASED BRAKING
PERFORMANCE. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE ALL SUSPECT BRAKE CALIPERS
WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNERS.
HE POSSIBILITY EXISTS THAT THE FUEL NON-EVAPORATIVE LOSS SYSTEM FLEXIBLE
CONNECTOR, ADJACENT TO THE CARBON CANISTER, MAY BECOME TRAPPED BY THE
RIGHT SIDE HORN ATTACHMENT BRACKET WHEN CLOSING THE HOOD. TRAPPING OF
THE CONNECTOR COULD CAUSE A RESTRICTION IN THE NON-EVAPORATIVE LOSS
SYSTEM WHICH MAY RESULT IN RESTRICTED FUEL TANK BREATHING AND EVENTUAL
FUEL TANK COLLAPSE OR RUPTURE. DEALER WILL READJUST THE HORN BRACKET
ANGLE AND REROUTE AND SECURE THE "U" SHAPED CONNECTION PIPE AT NO
CHARGE.
THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABELS AND VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
PLATES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THIS DOES
NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 115, "VEHICLE
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER-BASIC REQUIREMENTS".
1980:
[No records.]
It's fairly clear from the above that there were enough repeated events
reported to NHTSA that recalls was warranted, but that they occurred
occasionally over a significant span of time, and that not enough
documentation was available to pinpoint the difficulties to a particular
range of serial numbers, hence the recalls for multiple years. Apart
from the references to the possibility of fire from leaking fuel pump
installation and/or fittings, this is not a horrible rate of recalls,
and some are clearly not safety-related.
Methinks the author of the book either selectively chose to amplify the
actual recall data for his own purposes, or misinterpreted the available
data.
Cheers, all.
--
Michael D. Porter
Roswell, NM (yes, _that_ Roswell)
[mailto:mporter@zianet.com]
`70 GT6+ (being refurbished, slowly)
`71 GT6 Mk. III (organ donor)
`72 GT6 Mk. III (daily driver)
`64 TR4 (awaiting intensive care)
`80 TR7 (3.8 liter Buick-powered)
`86 Nissan 300ZX (the minimal-maintenance road car)
`68 VW Type II Camper (Lancia twin-cam powered, but feeling its age....)
Remember: Math and alcohol do not mix... do not drink and derive.
|