Auto Recall Watch
U.S. public vehicle records

1978 Autocar RB2: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

0 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

Not available median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1978 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

No owner complaints are recorded for this selection. A complaint can name multiple components.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

No usable records for this chart.

Component breakdown data
CategoryCount

No records.

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0000
25,000 to 49,9990
50,000 to 74,9990
75,000 to 99,9990
100,000 to 149,9990
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

No usable failure mileage is recorded. 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

No usable records for this chart.

Complaints over time data
CategoryCount

No records.

Pattern summary

There is not enough complaint evidence to summarize patterns.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Recall history

5 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

79V008000 · Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer

Reported: 1979-01-09 (January 9, 1979)

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MAY OVER-TRAVEL ITS DESIGNED SWEEP ANGLE DURING ITS INITIAL STROKE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF TEMPORARY WIPER IMMOBILIZATION.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL A RESTRICTION FITTING IN THE CONTROL VALVE AT NO COST TO OWNER.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
79V084000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar

Reported: 1979-04-03 (April 3, 1979)

THE METAL STIFFENER AT THE REAR OF THE SPLASH SHIELD MAY BECOME BENT DURING SERVICING OR BY ABUSE. THIS CAN ALLOW THE SPLASH SHIELD AND STIFFENER OR ONE OF ITS ATTACHING BOLTS TO RUB AGAINST AND CUT THE STEERING SHAFT.

Remedy: THE SPLASH SHIELD STIFFENER WILL BE REMOVED AND THE STEERING SHAFT WILL BE REPLACED, IF DAMAGED.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
79V110000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar

Reported: 1979-01-09 (January 9, 1979)

THE HOSE CLAMP, WHICH WAS INSTALLED AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN BOOT SEAT TO KEEP NOISE AND DIRT FROM ENTERING THE CAB, MAY LOOSEN.

Remedy: DEALER WILL REPLACE THE METAL HOSE CLAMP WITHOUT CHARGE.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
79V148000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Fan

Reported: 1979-06-12 (June 12, 1979)

LOCKWASHERS, USED TO RETAIN THE ENGINE"S FAN MOUNTING BOLTS, MAY HAVE BEEN OMITTED DURING ASSEMBLY, CAUSING THE BOLTS TO LOOSEN AND ALLOWING THE FAN TO SEPARATE FROM ITS MOUNTING HUB.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL LOCKWASHERS ON THE BOLTS.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
79V180000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar

Reported: 1979-08-01 (August 1, 1979)

SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE NOT INSPECTED FOR ADEQUATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE STEERING SHAFT AND ITS FIREWALL OPENING. INADEQUATE CLEARANCE COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING COLUMN BECOMING SCORED OR SEVERED BY THE FIREWALL SHEET METAL.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT VEHICLES AND, IF NECESSARY, ENLARGE THE FIREWALL OPENING TO PROVIDE THE MINIMUM 3/8 INCH CLEARANCE FOR THE STEERING SHAFT. ANY SCORED OR CUT SHAFTS WILL BE REPLACED WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

0 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.

UnavailableUsable mileage0 / 0 records
UnavailableValid incident date0 / 0 records
UnavailableValid filing date0 / 0 records
UnavailableOrdered incident and filing dates0 / 0 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

Component complaint heatmap
Component19751976197719781979
No usable records for this analysis.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
ComponentMileage range (25th–75th percentile)MedianUsable recordsExamples
No usable records for this analysis.

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

1 reports2024-102026-09

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
MonthComplaintsCampaigns announcedExamples
2024-100None

No examples available for this selection.

2024-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2024-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-100None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-09 (partial)0None

No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Age 0Age 1Age 21 reports

1978: 0 complaints · 1979: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model yearThrough age 0Through age 1Through age 2
1978000
1979000
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
YearIncident dates usedFiling date fallbacksExcluded dates
1978000
1979000

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component
No usable records for this analysis.

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

0 patterns with matching reports.

No narratives match the published patterns.