Hearth Record

Visibility: glass, side/rear (Buick, Pontiac and CHEVROLET and 1 more)

Vehicle recall 81V-022. NHTSA received GENERAL MOTORS CORP.’s report on Feb 11, 1981.

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 Feb 11, 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.

THE ELECTRO-CLEAR REAR WINDOW DEFOGGERS CONTAIN A DEFECT WHICH CAUSES THE GLASS TO SHATTER WITHOUT IMPACT DURING OR SOME TIME AFTER USE OF THE DEFOGGER.

VERTICAL ELECTRICAL STRIPS MAY DETERIORATE AND CAUSE HOT SPOTS THAT CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE REAR GLASS.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

  • NHTSA’s part: Visibility: glass, side/rear.

What should you do?

VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED FOR PRESENCE OF A PARTICULAR WEATHERSTRIP. IF PRESENT, A LAYER OF A SPECIAL CONDUCTIVE EPOXY WILL BE ADDED TO THE VERTICAL BAR ON THE REAR WINDOW GLASS. THIS EPOXY IS A NEW CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL WHICH WILL NOT REACT WITH THE WEATHERSTRIP.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

  • How to reach the firm: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRO-CLEAR REAR WINDOWDEFOGGERS.SYSTEM: DEFOGGER; REAR WINDOW.CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: DRIVER DISTRACTION FROM THE EXPLOSION COULD RESULT IN AVEHICLE ACCIDENT. BROKEN OR HOT GLASS COULD CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY TO VEHICLEPASSENGERS, OTHER DRIVERS, AND NEARBY PEDESTRIANS.NOTE: OWNERS ARE ADVISED NOT TO USE REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER UNTIL VEHICLE ISINSPECTED.
  • Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.

Which ones are recalled?

NHTSA counts 67,350 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

  • Buick Centuryand 1979 and 1980, before the model years listed here
  • Pontiac Lemansand 1979 and 1980, before the model years listed here
  • Chevrolet Malibuand 1979 and 1980, before the model years listed here
  • Oldsmobile Cutlassand 1979 and 1980, before the model years listed here

Who is recalling it?

  • Made by GENERAL MOTORS CORP..
Source:

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.
  • 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 20, 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.