Autos: Many Are Called But Fewer Are Defective

Since September, all automakers have been required by law to report possible defects to the new National Traffic Safety Agency, whose director. William Haddon, has the authority to make the reports public—if he sees fit. Last week Haddon saw fit: he announced that more than 500,000 late-model cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles have been recalled by domestic and foreign manufacturers to check on some 40 potential flaws. These statistics were deceptive, and Ford Division General Manager Donald Frey, for one, was quick to note that probably no more than 5% of the recalled cars actually had anything wrong with them.

A company-by-company list of the call-backs, with possible faults:

GENERAL MOTORS: About 2,400 '66 Suburban trucks in which a seat-belt bolt may cut into a tire; 4,900-plus '67 Pontiacs that may have defective stoplight wiring and turn-signal circuits; '66-'67 series-442 Oldsmobiles with possible brake defects; about 1,600 Chevrolet '67 trucks, with possible wearing of the brake hose against a wheel rim.

CHRYSLER: A possible missing brake component and door-latch problems on an unspecified number of '67 Plymouth Valiants and Dodge Darts; possible brake defects on '66 Plymouth Belvederes; carburetor difficulties in model-440 engines of various lines; imperfect wheels on '67 Dodge trucks.

AMERICAN MOTORS: Balky accelerators in '65-'66 V-8 Ramblers, with nearly 175,000 being recalled (the company said that only about one-fifth of 1% have been found to be defective).

ROLLS-ROYCE: Brake problems on about 80 Silver Shadows.

VOLKSWAGEN: Defective stop plates for brakes on an unknown number of '67 sedans, convertibles and Karmann Ghias. The company said the problem had been corrected before delivery.

HONDA: Gearshift problems possibly resulting in overabrupt deceleration in '67 CT-90 motorcycles.

RENAULT: Leaking brake hoses in 125 '66 Gordinis. Said Jean Ordner, executive vice president and general manager for Renault in the U.S.: "Today's report is totally incorrect. The recall was merely a quality improvement, and no accident or risk of accident was involved."