Exterior lighting: brake lights (KD)
Vehicle equipment recall 81E-011. NHTSA received K-D’s report on Aug 21, 1981.
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 K-D’s report on Aug 21, 1981. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 20, 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.
LENS MAY NOT HAVE THE PROPER FINISH ON THE OPTICAL SURFACE.
REAR STOP AND TAIL LAMPS PRODUCE AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF LIGHT, THUS FAILING TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, “LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT”.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.
- NHTSA’s part: Exterior lighting: brake lights.
What should you do?
DEFECTIVE LENSES WILL BE REPLACED WITH LENSES HAVING THE PROPER FINISH.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.
- How to reach the firm: VEHICLE CATEGORY: PASSENGER VEHICLES.SYSTEM: LIGHTING AND COMMUNICATIONS; COMBINATION REAR STOP AND TAIL LAMPS,MODEL KD744-2655.CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: BECAUSE THE TAIL/STOP LAMPS ARE TOO BRIGHT, OTHERDRIVERS MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY JUDGING DISTANCES AND AN ACCIDENT MAY RESULT.
Which ones are recalled?
NHTSA counts 180 items potentially involved, across everything this recall names.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.
- KD KDNHTSA gives no dates made
Who is recalling it?
- Made by K-D.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.
What the record doesn’t say
- NHTSA’s recall file doesn’t say whether anyone was hurt.
- Which ones, by part or lot: the recall’s report on NHTSA’s site gives them where the maker did; this file gives part numbers only where its maker listed them.
- How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.
Hearth Record wrote these lines.
Sources
-
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Recalls flat file before 2010 (FLAT_RCL_PRE_2010).
Released Oct 20, 2026 and checked Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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 20, 2026.