CAMPAIGN: HEADLIGHT SWITCH PANEL REPLACEMENT
MOELS AFFECTED: 1985 Somerset 1986 SOMERSET AND SKYLARK
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 their 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 1985 Somersets and 1986 Somersets and Skylarks. The circuitry in the headlamp switch panel, under extended headlamp usage, might experience an increased resistance and excessive heat build up that could cause the headlights to cycle on and off. Continuing to operate the vehicle with headlamps on will cause the off time to gradually increase. Sudden loss of the headlights under severe weather or nighttime driving conditions could reduce driver visibility, which might result in a vehicle crash without prior warning. In addition, to maintain styling uniformity with the new headlamp switch panel and to address customer concerns with some of the operating characteristics of the push button windshield wiper, the windshield wiper switch panel will be replaced.
DEALER ACTION
To prevent this condition, dealers are required to inspect and/or replace the headlight switch and/or windshield wiper switch panels on suspected vehicles, per the Vehicles Involved and Technical Procedure sections of this bulletin. The replacement switch panels are the 1988 design, therefore, the wiper switch panel is being changed to maintain appearance uniformity in the instrument panel cluster.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
All 1985 Somersets 1986 Somerset and Skylarks within the following VIN breakpoints:
Model Year Plant Beginning Through & Including ---- ----- --------- -------------------- 1986 Lansing GM100001 GM205813
DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY
Dealers are to service all vehicles involved in this campaign, at no charge to owners, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership. Whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign is taken into used car inventory, dealers are to take the steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before reselling the vehicle.
In addition, dealers are to perform the campaign on all affected vehicles as they are brought in for any kind of service.
DEALER MATERIAL
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 (1) Campaign Identification Label per vehicle involved.
Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identificatior 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 will enable dealers to follow-up with owners involved in this campaign. These computer 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). CHANGE OF
OWNER INFORMATION
Dealers are to use the Dealer Communication System (DCS) 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 DCS, the need to send a CVAR form for that vehicle is eliminated. Teminal input instructions are covered in the DCS Manual under Section 9, page 9-J01A and B.
PARTS INFORMATION
Parts required to complete this campaign are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). To ensure that these parts are obtained as soon as possible. They should be ordered on a C.I.O. order with No special instruction code, but on advise code (2).
Part Number Description Quantity/Vehicle ------------ ----------- ---------------- 22539950 Headlamp Switch Panel 1 as required 22535291 Windshield Wiper With Defog Switch Panel * 22535290 Windshield Wiper Without Defog Switch Panel *
*To detemine which part number windshield wiper switch panel may be required for a specific vehicle, refer to your print out furnished for this campaign. If there is an 86-C-13 R in the "Camp ID" column to the left of the vehicle serial number, vehicle is equipped with rear defog.
In order to reduce the part numbers required for service, both wiper switch panels used include the delay feature and when installed will add delay to previous non-delay wipers.
TECHNICAL PROCEDURE
1. Inspect the headlight switch and wiper/rear defog switch panels to determine if new style switch panels have been installed. New style 1988 slider switch panels are currently used to service 1985 to 1987 vehicles which were originally equipped with push button switch panels. See Illustration for example. Change only old style switch panels, as required. If no switch panels require replacement, proceed to Step 8.
2. Disconnect the battery negative cable.
3. Remove center cluster trim plate.
4. Remove screws securing right and left switch pod trim plates, as required.
5. Remove screws securing headlight switch and windshield wiper/rear defog switch panels, and remove switch panels from wiring connectors, as required.
6. Reverse Steps 1 through 5 to install new switch panels.
7. Check functional operation of all switch panels installed.
8. Install a Campaign Identification Label.
Each label provides a space to include the campaign number, the five (5) digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service, and the date vehicle was campaigned. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or ballpoint pen. When installing label, clean the surface of the radiator support tie bar. When installing label, clean the surface of the radiator upper mounting panel and apply the campaign label where it is readily visible.
DISPOSITION OF PARTS
Replaced parts must be held for disposition by Buick Zone or Branch contact personnel. Parts must have a claim tag attached showing the repair order and the VIN of the vehicle from which they were removed.
WARRANTY INFORMATION
SUBLET PART FAILED PARTS FAILURE LABOR LABOR OTHER DEALER OPER. COUNT PART NO. ALLOW. CODE OP NO HOURS HOURS MTL TWG ---- ----- ------- ----- ---- ----- ----- ----- ------- Inspect Only -- -- -- 96 V4440 .2 *.l --- Inspect and Replace Headlight Switch Panel 1 22539950 ** 96 V4441 .2 *.l --- Inspect and Replace Wiper/Rear Defog Switch Panel 1 22535290 ** 96 V4442 .2 *.l --- or 22535291
Inspect and Replace Headlight and Windshield Wiper/Rear Defog Switch Panel 2 22539950 ** 96 V4443 .3 *.l ---
* .1 hour for administration.
** The "Parts Allowance" should be the sum total of the current GMSPO Dealer Net price, plus 30% of all parts required for repair.
Dear Buick Owner:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
REASON FOR RECALL
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1985 Somersets and 1986 Somersets and Skylarks. The circuitry in the headlamp switch panel, under extended headlamp usage, might experience an increased resistance and excessive heat build up that could cause the headlight to cycle on and off. Continuing to operate the vehicle with headlamps on will cause the off time to gradually increase. Sudden loss of the headlights under severe weather or nighttime driving conditions could reduce drive visibility, which might result in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
Until you have had an opportunity to have your Buick inspected and/or corrected, you should be alert for signs of an intermittent headlight circuit. For example, you might experience flickering headlights with the headlight switch "ON" and on high beams. Using low beams only will usually prevent further occurrence.
In addition, to maintain styling uniformity with the new headlamp switch panel, and to address customer concerns with some of the operating characteristics of the push button windshield wiper, the windshield wiper switch panel will be replaced.
If the windshield wipers do not stay on or turn off when you first push the button, depressing the button again or selecting a different speed will usually achieve the desired results. In any case, the wipers will continue to operate as long as the button is pushed at the desired wiper speed.
WHAT WE WILL DO
Inspect and replace the headlight switch and/or windshield wiper switch panels, if required. This service will be completed at no charge to you.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
Contact your Buick dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date after the parts availability date shown below. Instructions have been sent to your Buick dealer. It is estimated that parts will be available February 11, 1988. The labor time to inspect and replace the switch panels, if required, is about 20 minutes. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to process your vehicle.
Your Buick dealer is best equipped to 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 days, we recommend you contact the Customer Assistance Department, Flint Home Office, by calling 800-521-7300.
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 Higbway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20590, or call 800-424-9393 (Washington, DC residents use 366-0123).
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.
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.
