TruckCodex

Recall 86V170000 scope

Affected units
9,038
Vehicles identified
4
Makes involved
2
Model years
2

Recall 86V170000

EAST TEXAS TRAILERS • STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM • reported Dec 22, 1986 • • 9,038 units affected

Remedy pending

View official record on NHTSA.gov · federal source of truth

Campaign
86V170000
Manufacturer
EAST TEXAS TRAILERS
Component
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Makes
CHEVROLET, GMC
Model Years
1985–1986
Affected Units
9,038
Country
US
Data As Of
Apr 5, 2026

What this recall is about, in plain English

THE POWER STEERING ASSIST CYLINDER MOUNTING BRACKET BOLTS MAY LOOSEN DUE TO PAINT ON THE BOLT THREADS AND THE MOUNTING BRACKET MATING SURFACE. REMOVE PAINT FROM MATING SURFACES OF BRACKET AND FRAME RAIL; REPLACE POWER STEERING ASSIST CYLINDER MOUNTING BOLTS.

Synthesized from the NHTSA defect summary, consequence, and remedy fields shown below.

Should you be worried?

This recall describes a safety risk and the remedy is still pending. Affected vehicles should be parked or driven only as needed until the manufacturer issues guidance. Always verify directly with the manufacturer or your dealer using the campaign number.

How serious is this recall vs others?

Each card compares this campaign against an NHTSA-derived peer baseline. Cards omit themselves when the denominator is too thin to be useful.

Affected Scale
Top 0% in scale
9,038 vehicles — among 5 recalls covering 1985–1986 CHEVROLET/GMC C7/C70.
Component Frequency
Steering cited in 4.6% of recent recalls
139 of 3,006 NHTSA recalls in the last 36 months named a Steering-class component.
Manufacturer Density
No other recent recalls
EAST TEXAS TRAILERS has issued 0 distinct recall campaigns in the last 24 months across all of its product lines.

Defect Summary

THE POWER STEERING ASSIST CYLINDER MOUNTING BRACKET BOLTS MAY LOOSEN DUE TO PAINT ON THE BOLT THREADS AND THE MOUNTING BRACKET MATING SURFACE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THIS MAY RESULT IN LOOSENESS AND ERRATIC STEERING DURING FULL TURNS. WITH CONTINUED OPERATION POWER CYLINDER COULD DETACH FROM THE FRAME RAIL RESULTING IN RESTRICTED STEERING, SEVERING OF FRONT BRAKE HOSE AND LOSS OF FRONT AXLE BRAKING. WITH EITHER CONDITION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.

Remedy

REMOVE PAINT FROM MATING SURFACES OF BRACKET AND FRAME RAIL; REPLACE POWER STEERING ASSIST CYLINDER MOUNTING BOLTS.

Key Dates

Report Date
Dec 22, 1986
Owner Notification
Unknown
Remedy Available
Unknown

Affected Vehicles

4 vehicles under this recall

Make Model Year
CHEVROLET C70 1986
CHEVROLET C70 1985
GMC C7 1986
GMC C7 1985

Official Sources & Documents

Links to NHTSA.gov and Part 573 recall reports when available — hosted by NHTSA, not TruckCodex

Documents hosted on nhtsa.gov. Links open in a new tab.

Recalls Affecting the Same Makes

Campaigns touching CHEVROLET, GMC from other manufacturers (last 3 years)

Campaign Component Units
26V399000 STEERING 26,541
26V345000 STEERING 232
26V325000 AIR BAGS 2,785
26V304000 WHEELS 2,457
26V289000 POWER TRAIN 66
26V212000 BACK OVER PREVENTION 276,879
26V213000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING 32,988
26V166000 AIR BAGS 2,819
26V127000 TIRES 857
26V129000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 11,807

Related NHTSA Investigations

Investigations opened by ODI covering the same manufacturer or makes (CHEVROLET, GMC) in the last 3 years

Investigation Component
RQ26001 ENGINE
EA25007 ENGINE
PE25001 ENGINE
PE23022 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM)

How to Act on This Recall

How to verify your vehicle is affected

  1. Find your VIN. Locate your 17-character Vehicle Identification Number on the lower-left corner of your windshield, on the driver's-door jamb sticker, or on your vehicle registration. The VIN is the only reliable way to confirm whether a specific vehicle falls under a recall — make/model/year alone is not enough.
  2. Check your VIN on this site. Enter the VIN at /vin/ to see every open recall tied to your specific vehicle, including 86V170000. Our lookup pulls directly from the NHTSA recall database and refreshes daily.
  3. Cross-reference with the official NHTSA recall search. For a second source of truth, run the same VIN through https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls. If both this site and NHTSA show the same campaign as open for your VIN, it applies — schedule the repair.
  4. Contact your dealer if affected. Bring the campaign number, your VIN, and your registration to an authorized dealer for the make. The dealer performs the remedy at no cost. If you've already paid for a related repair, bring the receipt — the manufacturer is required to reimburse pre-recall repairs that addressed the same defect.

Frequently asked questions about recall 86V170000

What does this recall mean for me as a vehicle owner? ▾
Recall 86V170000 means the manufacturer has identified a defect or noncompliance that may affect your vehicle. Repair work is performed at no cost to you under 49 U.S.C. § 30120. You don't have to do anything until you receive an owner notification letter, but you can act sooner if you want — bring this campaign number to your dealer.
Is this recall under remedy yet? ▾
Not yet — as of the last NHTSA refresh on this page, no remedy date is on file. Affected owners should monitor their mail for the manufacturer's notification letter and contact a dealer in the meantime.
How do I find out if my specific VIN is affected? ▾
Run your VIN through our VIN check tool to see all open recalls tied to your specific vehicle, including this one. NHTSA also offers an official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Both pull from the same federal source.
Who pays for the recall remedy? ▾
The manufacturer pays. Federal law requires the manufacturer to repair, replace, or refund the affected vehicle or component at no cost to the owner — including parts, labor, and reasonable diagnostic time. If a dealer tries to charge you for a recall remedy, contact the manufacturer's customer line first, then NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.
What if I've already had repair work done that addresses this issue? ▾
Save the receipt. Federal law requires the manufacturer to reimburse you for pre-recall repairs that addressed the same defect, subject to the reimbursement window the manufacturer publishes in its notification letter (typically the first refund period covers repairs going back to the earliest awareness date). Submit the receipt directly to the manufacturer with your VIN and the campaign number.
How do I check the recall status by VIN? ▾
Use our VIN lookup tool — it returns every open recall, including completion status when the manufacturer reports it. The result also links back to each campaign's detail page.
What if this recall isn't fixed and I sell the vehicle? ▾
You're not legally required to complete a recall before selling a used vehicle, but most state titling agencies and many dealers will run a VIN check during the sale. Disclose the open recall to the buyer in writing — undisclosed safety recalls are a common basis for post-sale fraud claims.
Where can I see all recalls for CHEVROLET C7 1985? ▾
Browse all CHEVROLET recalls on this site, or visit the manufacturer's page to filter by year and component.

Related

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