Product Safety - Drivers Safety Belt Anchorage

General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2004 model year Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx vehicles. A Malibu was tested recently in a government 38.8 mph (62.4 km/h) side impact test. Analysis of the results indicated that during a side impact the outboard anchorage of the driver's safety belt could disconnect because of contact between the seat trim and the anchorage connector when the seat is adjusted to its lowest position. If this were to occur, the drier will no longer be properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury.

To prevent the possibility of this occurring, dealers are to install a retainer in the front safety belt connectors.

Involved are certain 2004 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx vehicles built within these VIN breakpoints:

Important: Dealers should confirm vehicle eligibility through GMVIS (GM Vehicle Inquiry System) before beginning recall repairs. [Not all vehicles within the above breakpoints may be involved.]

For US

For dealers with involved vehicles, a Campaign Initiation Detail Report containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data has been prepared and will be loaded to the GM DealerWorld, Recall Information website. Dealers that have no involved vehicles currently assigned will not have a report available in GM DealerWorld.

For Canada

Computer listings containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data of involved vehicles have been prepared, and are being furnished to involved dealers. The customer name and address data will enable dealers to follow up with customers involved in this recall. Any dealer not receiving a computer listing with the recall bulletin has no involved vehicles currently assigned.

The Campaign Initiation Detail Report may contain customer names and addresses obtained from Motor Vehicle Registration Records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any other purpose is a violation of law in several states/provinces/countries. Accordingly, you are urged to limit the use of this report to the follow-up necessary to complete this program.

Important: Due to the availability of the retainers that are required for this recall, retainers will be pre-shipped to dealers in phases, as they become available, beginning the week of May 3, 2004. DO NOT ORDER PARTS FROM GMSPO AT THIS TIME. ALL ORDERS WILL BE CANCELED UNTIL SUFFICIENT PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. When sufficient parts are available, dealers will be notified and will be able to place orders.

The following procedure provides instructions for installing a plastic retainer in the seat belt connector on both the driver and front seat passenger seat belt lower webbing attachment point.

1. Open the driver's door and locate the seat belt webbing (3) lower attachment point (2) directly below and inboard of the seat recliner handle (1).
2. Raise the seat recliner handle to access the opening in the seat belt connector (4).




Important: Visually inspect the retainer (3) and note the taper on the backside. The wider portion of the retainer (1) must be at the top (2) of the seat belt connector when installing.

3. Using long nose pliers, install one plastic retainer in the opening in the seat belt connector as shown.

When properly installed, the wider portion of the retainer (1) will be at the top and a snap type sound will be heard when the locking feature (4) on each end of the retainer engage the edges of the seat belt connector.

4. Repeat this procedure on the right front passenger seat belt connector.

The General Motors Courtesy Transportation program is intended to minimize customer inconvenience when a vehicle requires a repair that is covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. The availability of courtesy transportation to customers whose vehicles are within the warranty coverage period and involved in a product recall is very important in maintaining customer satisfaction. Dealers are to ensure that these customers understand that shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation is available and will be provided at no charge. Dealers should refer to the General Motors Service Policies and Procedures Manual for Courtesy Transportation guidelines.

Submit a Product Recall Claim with the information indicated below:

Refer to the General Motors WINS Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Recall Claim Submission.

General Motors will notify customers of this recall on their vehicle (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin).

The US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides that each vehicle which is subject to a recall of this type must be adequately repaired within a reasonable time after the customer has tendered it for repair. A failure to repair within sixty 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 customer 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 remedies, every effort must be made to promptly schedule an appointment with each customer and to repair their vehicle as soon as possible. In the recall notification letters, customers are told how to contact the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if the recall is not completed within a reasonable time.

All unsold new vehicles in dealers' possession and subject to this recall MUST be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this recall bulletin BEFORE customers take possession of these vehicles.

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

Customers who have recently purchased vehicles sold from your vehicle inventory, and for which there is no customer information indicated on the dealer listing, are to be contacted by the dealer. Arrangements are to be made to make the required correction according to the instructions contained in this bulletin. A copy of the customer letter is provided in this bulletin for your use in contacting customers. Recall follow-up cards should not be used for this purpose, since the customer may not as yet have received the notification letter.

In summary, whenever a vehicle subject to this recall enters your vehicle inventory, or is in your dealership for service in the future, please take the steps necessary to be sure the recall correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.

Dear General Motors Customer:

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Federal regulation requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days.

General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2004 model year Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx vehicles. A Malibu was tested recently in a government 38.8 mph (62.4 km/h) side impact test. Analysis of the results indicated that during a side impact the outboard anchorage of the driver's safety belt could disconnect because of contact between the seat trim and the anchorage connector when the seat is adjusted to its lowest position. If this were to occur, the drier will no longer be properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury.

To prevent the possibility of this occurring, your GM dealer will install a retainer in the front safety belt connectors. This service will be performed for you at no charge .

This service correction will take approximately 15 minutes. However, due to service scheduling requirements, your dealer may need your vehicle for a longer period of time.

To limit any possible inconvenience, we recommend that you contact your GM dealer as soon as possible to schedule an appointment for this repair. By scheduling an appointment, your dealer can ensure that the necessary parts will be available on your scheduled appointment date.

Should your dealer be unable to schedule a service date within a reasonable time, you should contact the appropriate Customer Assistance Center at the number listed below. The Customer Assistance Center hours of operation are from 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM, EST, Monday through Friday.

If, after contacting the appropriate customer assistance center, you are still not satisfied that we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge and within a reasonable time, you may wish to write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 20590 or call 1-888-327-4236.

The attached customer reply form identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this form to your dealer will assist in making the necessary correction in the shortest possible time. If you no longer own this vehicle, please let us know by completing the form and mailing it in the postage paid envelope.

If your vehicle is within the New Vehicle Limited Warranty your dealer may provide you with shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation while your vehicle is at the dealership for this repair. Please refer to your Owner's Manual and your dealer for details on Courtesy Transportation.

More information about this recall (including frequently asked questions) is available online at the Owner Center at My GMLink. This free online service offers vehicle and ownership-related information and tools tailored to your specific vehicle. To join, visit www.mygmlink.com and enter your vehicle's 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN) shown on the enclosed form to get the most personalized information for your vehicle.

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 Corporation

Enclosure

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