The 1985 GMC P Series has 5 recalls, all rated at the same severity level, with the most serious being multiple structural and wheel failures that can cause sudden loss of vehicle control without warning.
Two recalls involve wheel integrity: on certain front steel wheels, cracks can develop and cause the rim to separate from the disc while driving, and a similar weld crack can propagate around the wheel and produce the same result. On the suspension side, a lower control arm can crack starting at the rear flange and eventually break apart, and on P30 and P35 models with I-beam front axles and 16-inch wheels, the tie rod end can contact the inner tire wall during combined cornering and braking, eventually cutting through the tire. There is also a brake concern on P6 vehicles where a body support component can rub against the brake lines near the brake warning switch, wearing through the line over time and causing partial brake system failure that increases stopping distances.