CAMPAIGN: FUEL TANK PUNCTURED BY REAR BUMPER. Buick Regal 1984

MODELS AFFECTED: ALL 1984 AND EARLY PRODUCTION 1985 REGAL AND REGAL LIMITED COUPES (MODELS J47 AND M47)

The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, as amended, provides that each vehicle which is subject to a recall campaign of this type, must be adequately repaired within a reasonable time after the owner has tendered it for repair. A failure to adequately repair within sixty (60) days after tender of a vehicle is prima facie evidence of failure to repair within a reasonable time. If the condition is not adequately repaired within a reasonable time, the owner may be entitled to an identical or reasonably equivalent vehicle at no charge, or to a refund of the purchase price, less a reasonable allowance for depreciation.

To avoid having to provide these burdensome solutions, every effort must be made to promptly schedule an appointment with each owner and to repair the vehicle as soon as possible. As you will see in reading the attached copy of the letter which is being sent to owners, the owners are being instructed to contact the Buick Home Office if their dealer does not remedy the condition within five (5) days of the agreed service date. If the condition is not remedied within a reasonable time, the owners are instructed on how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

CONDITION

General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1984 and early production 1985 Regal and Regal Limited model Coupes. The rear bumper may fracture during a rear end collision, puncture the fuel tank, and cause a fuel leak. Should this occur, the possibility of a fire exists which could cause burn injuries to persons in or near the vehicle.

DEALER ACTION

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring on vehicles involved, dealers are to replace the rear bumper brackets and "L" shaped reinforcement with a "U" shaped full reinforcement part number 25505110.

Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this campaign at no charge to owners, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle or ownership, from this time forward.

Whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign is taken into your new or used vehicle inventory, or it is in your dealership for service in the future, you should take the steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before reselling or releasing the vehicle. Owners of vehicles recently sold from your new vehicle inventory are to be contacted by the dealer, and arrangements made to make the required modification according to instructions contained in this bulletin.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

All 1984 Regal (model J47) and Regal Limited Coupes (model M47).

1985 Regal (model J47) and Regal Limited Coupes (model M47) with VINS from FH400001 through and including FH443242.

ALL REGAL "T" TYPE MODELS (K47) AND OTHER MODELS EQUIPPED WITH THE FULL ALUMINUM BUMPER REINFORCEMENT (VD7) ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN.

DEALER

If your dealership has vehicles involved in this campaign, you will receive the following items:

List of all vehicles involved in this Campaign shipped to your dealership.

One campaign identification label for each vehicle.

Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number Computer listings. Computer listings contain the complete Vehicle Identification Number, owner name and address data, and are furnished to the involved dealers with the campaign bulletin. Owner name and address data furnished will enable dealers to follow up with owners involved in this campaign.

These listings may contain owner names and addresses obtained from State Motor Vehicle Registration records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any other purpose is a violation of law in several states. Accordingly, you are urged to limit the use of this listing to the follow-up necessary to complete this campaign.

OWNER NOTIFICATION

Owners of vehicles involved in this campaign will be notified by Buick Motor Division (see copy of Owner Letter included with this bulletin).

TRANSFER OF VEHICLE

If a vehicle has been transferred or sold to another location, please forward vehicle information for this vehicle to your Buick Zone Office for handling with the proper dealer.

CHANGE OF OWNER INFORMATION

Dealers are to use the Dealer Communication System (D.C.S.) to provide Buick Motor Division with subsequent Buick owner information. By reporting a change of owner name or address of a vehicle in campaign status over the D.C.S., the need to send in a C.V.A.R. form for that vehicle is eliminated. Terminal input instructions are covered in the D.C.S. Manual under Section 9, page 9-JOIA and B.

PARTS INFORMATION

Parts for this campaign are to be obtained from GMWDD using the following part numbers:

Description Number Required Part Number ----------- --------------- ----------- Full Rear Bumper One (1) per Vehicle 25505110 Reinforcement

Torx Head Bolt Three (3) per Vehicle 561023

Rear Bumper Rub As required 25505733 Strip

To ensure parts will be obtained as soon as possible, they should be ordered from GMWDD on a C.I.O. order with no special instruction code, but order on an advise code (2).

TECHNICAL PROCEDURE

A. Inspection

If there is a question as to a vehicle being involved in this campaign, inspect the rear bumper attachment. If the bumper has a full reinforcement (aluminum or steel) as shown in Figure 2, vehicle does not require campaign change.

B. Installation of full reinforcement - part number 25505110.

1. Hoist vehicle.

2. Remove rear bumper assembly from EA's (energy absorber). If shims used between brackets, note location and reuse on assembly.

3. Lay bumper assembly on a protected surface to prevent damage to face plate and remove rub strip, "L" shaped reinforcement, right and left brackets and both bumper guard lower attaching bolts. Refer to Figure 1.

USE CARE WHEN REMOVING RUB STRIP ATTACHING NUTS TO PREVENT BREAKING STUDS. REMOVED BOLTS AND NUTS IN STEP 3 WILL BE REUSED ON ASSEMBLY.

4. Remove mounting plates from bumper brackets. Discard brackets and "L" shaped reinforcement.

5. Install mounting plates in new full reinforcement. If rub strip studs are broken, use a new rub strip on assembly.

6. Assemble new reinforcement and rub strip to bumper. Refer to Figure 2.

Nine (9) torx head bolts used - Bottom edge of bumper to reinforcement - (Will require three (3) additional bolts from Parts Department to complete assembly.)

Ten (10) round head bolts used - Vertical surface of bumper to reinforcement -

Eleven (11) stamped metal nuts to rub strip used.

FULLY SEAT RUB STRIP ATTACHING NUTS - BUT DO NOT STRIP.

7. Install bumper assembly onto EA's, placing any removed shims in their original location. Center bumper on vehicle and tighten attaching nuts to 25 N.m (19 ft. lbs.).

PART C - CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL

Each vehicle modified in accordance with the instructions outlined in this Product Campaign Bulletin will require a "Campaign Identification Label." Each label provides a space to include the five-digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or ballpoint pen.

Each "Campaign Identification Label" is to be located near the Emission (tune-up) label in an area which will be visible when the vehicle is brought in for periodic servicing by the owner.

Apply "Campaign Identification Label" only on a clean, dry surface.

DISPOSITION OF REPLACED PARTS

Replaced parts must be held for disposition by Buick contact personnel. Each replaced part must have a claim tag attached showing the repair order and the VIN of the vehicle from which it was removed.

WARRANTY INFORMATION

Dealers are to submit each campaigned vehicle as a separate case on the one-line warranty document form S-764. Dealers submitting warranty claims by teletype terminal are to transmit campaign completions as a separate case also.

LIST THE ONE APPLICABLE LABOR OPERATION

FAILURE OPER. LABOR OTHER SUBLET OPERATION COUNT PART NO. ALLOW. CODE NO. HOURS HOURS MTL.TWG

Inspect for Bumper Reinforcement * - - - 96 V2680 .2 .1 -

Inspect and Install New Bumper Reinforcement * ** 25505110 *** 96 V2681 1.1 .1 -

* .1 hour for administration. ** List number of parts replaced.

*** List current dealer price plus 30% for reinforcement number 25505110 and three bolts number 561023. If rub strip replaced, include dealer price of part 25505733 plus 30%.

To assure accurate records of all transactions on this campaign, it is recommended that campaign repairs for each vehicle be listed on a separate repair order. Other repairs performed to the vehicle may be listed on the same repair order, and warranty cases other than campaigns may be listed on the same warranty document.

Zone authorization is not required.

Dear Buick Owner:

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

To prevent this from occurring on your vehicle, please contact your Buick Dealer to arrange a service date. Your dealer will replace the rear bumper brackets and the "L" shaped reinforcement on your vehicle with a "U" shaped full reinforcement. This service will be completed for you at no charge.

Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your dealer. Parts will be available on -. The labor time to perform the correction is approximately one hour. Please ask your dealer how much additional time will be needed to process your vehicle.

Your Buick Dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide service to ensure your vehicle is corrected as promptly as possible. However, if you take your vehicle to your dealer on the agreed service date, and he does not remedy this condition on that date or within five (5) days, we recommend you contact the Customer Assistance Department, Flint Home Office, by calling:

1-800-521-7300 for all except residents of Alaska and Hawaii. In Alaska, call (503) 641-8350. In Hawaii, call (805) 497-8561.

After contacting your dealer and the Buick Home Office, if you are still not satisfied that we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge within a reasonable time, you may wish to write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590, or call 1-800-424-9393 (Washington D.C. residents use 426-0123).

The enclosed Owner Reply Card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of the card to your dealer will assist in making the correction in the shortest possible time. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please let us know by completing the postage-paid Owner Reply Card and returning it to us.

We are sorry to cause you this inconvenience; however, we have taken this action in the interest of your safety and continued satisfaction with our products.

Object Number: 89538 Size: MF

Object Number: 86961 Size: MF

General Motors bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, not a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, do not assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See a General Motors dealer servicing your brand of General Motors vehicle for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.