Hearth Record

Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: drum: wheel cylinders (Pontiac and Chevrolet)

Vehicle recall 77V-181. NHTSA received GENERAL MOTORS CORP.’s report on Oct 17, 1977.

NHTSA’s own record, on nhtsa.gov

Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. NHTSA’s own record is on nhtsa.gov.

The short answer

NHTSA received GENERAL MOTORS CORP.’s report on Oct 17, 1977. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 26, 2026.

Every line below is in NHTSA’s own words, with its source beside it.

What’s wrong with it?

The notice gives no hazard in a field of its own.

THE REAR BRAKE WHEEL CYLINDER RETAINER ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED.

SHOULD THE WHEEL CYLINDER RETAINER BECOME COMPLETELY DISENGAGED, THE WHEEL CYLINDER COULD MOVE OUTBOARD CAUSING A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND A LOSS OF REAR BRAKING ACTION.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 26, 2026. Updated daily.

  • NHTSA’s part: Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: drum: wheel cylinders.

What should you do?

THE DEALER WILL REPOSITION THE REAR WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDER RETAINERS, FREE OF CHARGE, ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 26, 2026. Updated daily.

  • How to reach the firm: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES.SYSTEM: SERVICE BRAKES; REAR WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDER RETAINERS.CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: LOSS OF REAR BRAKING CAPABILITY CAN OCCUR WITHOUTWARNING AND AN ACCIDENT COULD RESULT.NOTE: LOSS OF BRAKING ACTION WILL BE SIGNALLED TO DRIVER BY THE WARNING LIGHTON THE DASH AND BY AN INCREASE IN BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL AND INCREASED VEHICLESTOPPING DISTANCES.
  • Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.

Which ones are recalled?

NHTSA counts 636 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 26, 2026. Updated daily.

  • Pontiac Grand Lemansand 1978, before the model years listed here
  • Chevrolet Monte Carloand 1978, before the model years listed here
  • Pontiac Grand AMand 1978, before the model years listed here
  • Pontiac Lemansand 1978, before the model years listed here
  • Chevrolet Malibu Classicand 1978, before the model years listed here
  • Chevrolet Malibuand 1978, before the model years listed here

Who is recalling it?

  • Made by GENERAL MOTORS CORP..
Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 26, 2026. Updated daily.

What the record doesn’t say

  • NHTSA’s recall file doesn’t say whether anyone was hurt.
  • Whether one vehicle or seat has been fixed: only its maker, or NHTSA’s lookup with a VIN, can say.
  • This recall names only model years before 2015, which have no pages here. Your VIN, at NHTSA, says which recalls are open on a vehicle.
  • How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.
Source:

Hearth Record wrote these lines.

Sources

Source:

Vehicle, car seat, tire and vehicle equipment recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Copied on Oct 26, 2026.

How to read a record

Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

An example record, made up for this guide

An example nursing home

Made up for this guide: no real place is shown

Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

From the homeNone yet. Replies and paid listings aren’t open, and when they open they will sit here, below the record.

1 of 4

Every fact names its source.

Who published it, when, and how often it changes sit beside each fact, with a link to the agency’s own file.

Sign in

A free account keeps your watch list, shortlists, comparisons and saved searches on every device, and can email you when something you watch changes. Browsing never needs one.