CAMPAIGN: GENERATOR TERMINAL RUBS FUEL LINE-POSSIBLE SHORT. Buick Century 1986

MODELS AFFECTED: 1986 CENTURYS EQUIPPED WITH 2.8L (LE 2) ENGINE ---------------- (VIN CODE X) AND 108 AMP (K90) GENERATOR

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 1986 Centurys equipped with 2.8L engines and 108 amp generators. It is possible that the generator "Bat" terminal located on the rectifier end frame may contact the carburetor fuel inlet pipe. If this condition is not corrected, the "Bat" stud may rub through the terminal boot resulting in stud contact to the fuel pipe which could cause an underhood fire. Such a fire could, in time, spread to the passenger compartment and cause burn injuries to occupants remaining in the vehicle.

DEALER ACTION

To prevent the condition from occurring, clearance between the fuel pipe and generator "Bat" terminal is to be obtained by rotating the rectifier end frame as instructed in the Technical Procedure of this bulletin.

This correction must be done prior to vehicle delivery. Dealers are to contact owners of vehicles recently sold to have their vehicle corrected.

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.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

Involved are certain 1986 Centurys equipped with 2.8L (LE2) engines and 108 amp (K90) generators between the following serial numbers:

Assembly Plant Serial Number -------------- -------------

From Through and Including ---- --------------------- Doraville GD400004 GD408592 Oklahoma City G6400008 G6402207 Tarrytown GT400015 GT409350

DEALER MATERIAL

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

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

o 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).

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 Section 9, page 9-J01A and B.

TECHNICAL PROCEDURE

1. Disconnect negative battery cable at the battery.

2. Remove generator from the vehicle using established Service Manual procedures.

3. Make scribe marks on both end frames of generator to facilitate reassembly.

4. Remove four thru-bolts and separate drive end frame assembly from rectifier end frame assembly.

5. Clean brushes with soft, dry cloth (if necessary) and reassemble brushes into the brush holder using brush retainer wire through end frame and brush holder.

6. Reassemble the two end frames with the rectifier end frame rotated 90 degrees clockwise from original position. The scribe marks (step No. 3) should now be 90 degrees apart.

7. Install generator on the vehicle using Remove Procedures in reverse.

8. Connect negative battery cable.

When installed on the engine, the "Bat" terminal should be in the 9 o'clock position when viewed from the rectifier end frame or inboard side of generator.

9. Install a 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.

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 only.

FAILURE OPER. LABOR OTHER SUBLET OPERATION COUNT PART NO. ALLOW. CODE NO. HOURS HOURS MTL. TWG. --------- ----- -------- ------ ------- ----- ----- ----- ---------- Reposition Generator End Frame - - - 96 V2930 .5 *.l -

* .1 hour for administration

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.

General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1986 Centurys equipped with 2.8L engines and 108 amp generators. It is possible that the generator, "Bat" terminal located on the rectifier end frame may contact the carburetor fuel inlet pipe. If this condition is not corrected, the "Bat" stud may rub through the terminal boot resulting in stud contact to the fuel pipe which could cause an underhood fire. Such a fire could, in time, spread to the passenger compartment and cause burn injuries to occupants remaining in the vehicle.

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, your Buick Dealer will provide clearance between the fuel pipe and generator "Bat" terminal on your vehicle. This service will be performed at no charge to you.

Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your dealer. The labor time to perform the correction is approximately one half 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.

BUICK MOTOR 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.