CAMPAIGN: FOLDING REAR SEAT BACK RETENTION- BLAZER RPO AM7
The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, 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 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 nearest Chevrolet Zone Office if their dealer does not remedy the condition within five days of the mutually agreed upon service date. If the condition is not remedied within a reasonable time, they are instructed on how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
DEFECT INVOLVED
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1983 SIT Blazer model Chevrolet Trucks equipped with RPO AM7, folding rear bench seat. Under certain operating conditions where moderate brake stops are made, the inertia lock mechanism may not function, allowing the seat back to fold forward, and the seat to move forward.
If the rear seat is occupied, this could cause personal injury by pinning the occupant between the rear seat and the back of the front seats.
To assure positive retention of the seat back in the up position, a manually operated latch, with a positive lock and release handle, will be installed on the right hand (passenger) side of the rear seat.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are certain 1983 S/T Blazer model Chevrolet Trucks equipped with RPO AM7 folding rear bench seat and identified within the following vehicle breakpoints:
Plant From Through
Shreveport SOP D8121017 Pontiac SOP D0118643
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 cam- paign.
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. Any dealer not receiving a computer listing with the campaign bulletin was not shipped any involved vehicles.
OWNER NOTIFICATION
Owners will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by Chevrolet Motor Division (see copy of Owner Letter included with this bulletin).
DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY
Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this campaign, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward.
Whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign is taken into our 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.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
To install the new positive lock latch, the following is the procedure:
1. With the seat back in the up position, remove the forward seat anchor nut from the right and left sides. Figure 1
2. Pivot the rear seat back forward.
3. Remove the rear seat anchor nut from both sides. Figure 1.
4. On the right side (Passenger) only. Remove the plastic cover from the latch arm which is connected to the seat back.
5. On the right side (Passenger) only. Remove the four(4) bolts attaching the latch to the seat back and bottom. Figure 1. Raise the rear of the seat assembly to remove latch. Support the seat in this position.
6. With the assembly raised, inspect for the presence of a flat washer on both rear seat anchor studs. Remove the washers (if present) from both sides and discard. Figure 2.
7. Attach the latch assembly to the seat bottom and seat back using the same bolts removed in Step 5. Tighten the bolts to the specified torque. Figure 1. (Note: Remove the plastic cover on the new latch to install bolts. Reinstall cover showing operating instructions of lever).
8. Lower the seat assembly positioning left hand and right hand latches over studs.
9. Assemble the rear anchor nuts (both sides) to anchor studs and torque to 25 to 50 Nm. (20 to 36 lbs.ft.) Put seat back in up position and assemble nuts (both sides) to forward anchor studs and torque to 25 to 50 Nm. (20 to 35 lbs.ft.).
10. Test seat operation. For seat back to pivot forward, the latch must now be manually tripped on the right hand side. The left hand side remains an inertia lock. The seat will have slight movement before latch restrains it.
11. Remove Owners Manual P/N 14065932A and replace it with a new manual P/N 14065961B which shows operation of the positive seat back latch. Owners Manual P/N 14065961B have been sent to all involved dealers in quantities equal to the number of vehicles on the computer list. If additional manuals are required, contact your Zone Service Department.
PARTS INFORMATION
Parts required to complete this campaign are to be ordered by the dealer from Warehousing and Distribution Division of General Motors (WDDGM).
To ensure that these parts will be obtained as soon as possible, they should be ordered from WDDGM on a C.I.O. order with no special instruction code, but order on an advise code (2).
Quantity Part Number Per Vehicle Description
14071572 1 Latch, Charcoal 14071573 1 Latch, Blue 14071574 1 Latch, Carmine 14071575 1 Latch, Almond
CLAIM INFORMATION
Submit a Product Claim with the information indicated below:
Parts Failed **Parts Failure Labor Labor *Other Count Part No. Allowance Code Operation Hours Hours
1 14071572 00 V1620 .4 .1
Description: Install positive lock latch per instructions outlined in this bulletin.
*Campaign Administrative Allowance
**The Parts Allowance should be the sum total of the current WDDGM Net plus 30% of all parts required for the repair.
Dealers will automatically receive the correct parts and labor allowance based on the Labor Operation performed.
Refer to the Chevrolet Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Campaign claim submission.
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 on the radiator core support 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.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
REFER TO THE CURRENT CHEVROLET SERVICE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL AND CLAIMS PROCESSING MANUAL FOR CAMPAIGN HANDLING AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES.
Dear Chevrolet Owner:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1983 S/T Blazer Model Chevrolet Trucks equipped with RPO AM7 folding rear bench seat. Under certain operating conditions where moderate brake stops are made, the inertia lock mechanism may not function allowing the seat back to fold forward, and the seat to move forward. If the rear seat is occupied, this could cause personal injury by pinning the occupant between the rear seat and the back of the front seats.
To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring on your vehicle, please contact your Chevrolet Dealer on or after the date shown below to arrange a service date to have your vehicle corrected. Correction involves installation of a manually operated latch with a positive lock and release handle. The necessary service will be performed at no charge to you.
As always, it is recommended that rear seat occupants use the seat belts. This will also minimize the possibility of the rear seat back folding for- ward until the new latch is installed.
Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your Chevrolet Dealer. It is estimated that parts will be available to your dealer on May 9, 1983.
The labor time necessary to perform this correction is approximately 20 min- utes. Please allow additional time for the dealer to process your vehicle.
Your Chevrolet 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 they do not remedy this condition on that date or within five days, we recommend you contact the nearest Chevrolet Zone Office, either in person or by telephone. The zone office will assist you and the dealer in getting your vehicle cor- rected. The locations and telephone numbers of the zone offices are listed in your Owner's Manual.
After contacting your dealer and the zone office, if you are still not satis- fied that we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge with- in a reasonable time, you may wish to write the Administrator, National High- way Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590, or call 800-424-9393 (Washington, D.C. residents use 426-0123).
The enclosed owner reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist them inmaking the necessary correction to your vehicle 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.
