CAMPAIGN: STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. Pontiac Firebird 1995

Subject: PRODUCT SAFETY CAMPAIGN 95-C-29 STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT

Models Affected: 1995 PONTIAC FIREBIRD

TO: ALL PONTIAC DEALERS

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 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 that is being sent to owners, the owners are being instructed to contact the Pontiac Customer Assistance Center if their dealer does not remedy the condition within five (5) 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 certain 1995 Pontiac Firebird model vehicles. Some of these vehicles were built with an improperly assembled steering intermediate shaft. This condition could cause the intermediate shaft lower coupling to loosen and rotate on the steering gear input shaft. If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, a loss of steering control could result and a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.

To prevent this condition from occurring, dealers are to inspect the intermediate steering shaft for the correct lower coupling and replace it as required.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

Involved are all 1995 Pontiac Firebird model vehicles (excluding 2G2FV32P7S2232849) built within the following VIN breakpoints:

Up To And Year Plant Beginning Including ----------------------------------------------------------- 1995 Ste. Therese S2232759 S22324849

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 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. Any dealer not receiving a computer listing with the campaign bulletin has no involved vehicles currently assigned.

PARTS INFORMATION

Due to the small number of vehicles involved (106), dealers are encouraged not to order campaign parts for use as shelf stock. Parts should only be ordered when inspection determines that it is necessary to replace an intermediate steering shaft. Only an estimated 3% of involved vehicles will require shaft replacement.

Parts required to complete this campaign are to be ordered from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). To ensure these parts are obtained as soon as possible, they should be ordered from GMSPO on a "C.I.O." order with no special instructions code, but on an advise code (2).

Part Quantity/ Description Number Vehicle ----------- ------ --------- Shaft, Intermediate Steering 26020775 As Required

OWNER NOTIFICATION

Owners will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by Pontiac Division (see copy of owner letter included with this bulletin).

DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY

All unsold new vehicles in dealers' possession and subject to this campaign must be held and inspected/repaired per the Service Procedure of this campaign bulletin before owners take possession of these vehicles.

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.

Owners of vehicles recently sold from your new vehicle inventory with no owner information indicated on the dealer listing, are to be contacted by the dealer, and arrangements made to make the required correction according to the instructions contained in this bulletin. This could be done by mailing to such owners a copy of the owner letter accompanying this bulletin. Campaign follow-up cards should not be used for this purpose, since the owner may not as yet have received the notification letter.

In summary, 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, please take the steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

1. Ensure the tire and wheel assemblies are pointed straight ahead and the steering wheel assembly is locked.

2. Raise vehicle on hoist and suitably support.

3. Remove intermediate steering shaft boot clamp and slide boot upward approximately 1 1/2 inches exposing shafts lower yoke.

4. With the aid of a shop light or flash light, and viewing the steering gear/intermediate shaft from front of vehicle, determine if the lower coupling yoke has a 1/2" x 1/2" machined opening "window" at the pinch bolt machines slot. The "window" will be facing the front of the vehicle, and will expose part of the pinch bolt shoulder and threads. If the machined "window" IS present, the proper shaft is installed and proceed to step 5. If the machined "window" IS NOT present at the pinch bolt slot (bolt completely enclosed in casting), the incorrect yoke was assembled to the shaft and the entire intermediate shaft needs replacement. Replace the shaft following the instructions in the 1995 "F" Car Service Manual; Section 3F, Page 12.

5. Reposition boot and install clamp.

6. Lower vehicle.

7. Install Campaign Identification Label.

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 campaign number, the five digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service, and the date the vehicle was campaigned. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or ballpoint pen. Install the label only on a clean, dry surface of the radiator baffle where it is readily visible. (Additional campaign labels are available on Pontiac Dealer Supplies Catalog/Order Form as Form #7201-709.

CLAIM INFORMATION

A separate repair order must be used for each vehicle. A completed warranty claim is to be kept as a permanent record of completion.

DEALERS SHOULD SUBMIT WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR CREDIT IN THEIR NORMAL MANNER WHEN THEY PERFORM THE SERVICE AS FOLLOWS: Other Failure Labor Labor Labor Net Operation Code Operation Hours Hours Amt --------- ------------------------------------ Inspect Shaft, No Repair Required 96 V9580 0.3 *

Inspect Shaft, Replace Incorrect Shaft 96 V9581 0.5 *

Alternate Transportation 96 T2090 -- -- **

* The additional 0.1 hours credit for administrative services associated with this campaign, that dealerships receive, is already included with the regular labor hours.

** The amount to be entered in the "Net Amount" column for labor operation T2090 should represent the cost of alternate transportation following guidelines listed in the Pontiac Cares Manual.

FAILURE CODE 96 MUST BE USED WITH THE LABOR OPERATION.

Parts required are to be listed in your warranty claim in the normal manner. Parts will be credited at dealer net plus 40% dealer handling allowance.

Dealers will be credited via Warranty Document or Terminal Transmission, whichever is their normal method of submission for payment. Claim must contain all information required and should list the labor operation as outlined.

RECORDING COMPLETION

Repairs submitted for vehicles not involved in the campaign will not be paid. Campaign completion will be recorded from "PROPERLY COMPLETED AND PAID WARRANTY CLAIMS." Owners are being asked to present the owner reply card for identification to their dealer at the time they bring in their vehicle to have the campaign performed.

Dear Pontiac Firebird Owner:

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

REASON FOR RECALL

WHAT WE WILL DO

To prevent this condition from occurring, dealers are to inspect the intermediate steering shaft for the correct lower coupling and replace it as required.

This service will be performed for you at no charge.

WHAT YOU WOULD DO

Please contact your Pontiac dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date and so the dealer may order the necessary parts for the repair. Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your Pontiac dealer. The labor time necessary to perform this service correction is approximately 15 minutes to one (1) hour. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to schedule and process your vehicle.

The enclosed Campaign Owner Reply Card identifies your vehicle. If your vehicle has not been repaired yet, presentation of this card to your dealer will assist in making the necessary 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.

Your Pontiac dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide service to ensure that your vehicle is corrected as promptly as possible. If, however, 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 (5) days, we recommend you contact the Pontiac Customer Assistance Center by calling: 1-800-762-2737.

After contacting your dealer and the Pontiac Customer Assistance Center, if 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, S. W., Washington, DC 20590 or call 1-800-424-9393 (Washington, DC residents use 366-0123).

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.

PONTIAC DIVISION General Motors Corporation

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.