CAMPAIGN: ENGINE CRADLE ASSEMBLY
Models: 1988 Chevrolet Celebrity and Buick Century
TO: ALL GENERAL MOTORS DEALERS
DEFECT INVOLVED:
General Motors of Canada has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety may exist in certain 1988 Celebrity and Century Models. Some of these vehicles may have been assembled with a front suspension lower control arm bracket that could develop metal cracks and eventually may result in disengagement of the lower control arm. If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, it could result in a loss of steering control and a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.
To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, it will be necessary to inspect the frame assembly date code stamp on all involved vehicles for suspect codes. Vehicles found with suspect date codes will require frame replacement.
VEHICLES INVOLVED:
Involved are the following 1988 Celebrity and Century Models:
1G4AL51W7JT418465 1G4AL51W2JT418762 1G4AL5136JT418995 IG4AL51W9JT418466 1G4AL51W9JT418788 1G4AL51W7JT418997 1G4AL51W1JT418476 1G4AL51W6JT418814 1G4AH51WXJT419000 1G4AL51W3JT418480 1G4AN51W6JT418829 1G4AH51W1JT419001 1G4AL51W5JT418495 1G4AH51W3JT418836 1G4AH51W3JT419002 1G4AL5131JT418502 1G4AH51W5JT418840 1G4AL51W5JT419016 1G4AL51WOJT418517 1G4AL51W6JT418845 1G4AL51WOJT419022 1G4AL5134JT418543 1G4AL51W1JT418865 1G4AH51W3JT419646 1G4AL51W6JT418554 1G4AL51W8JT418877 1G4AH51RXJT419735 1G4AL5138JT418559 1G4AL51W1JT418882 1G4AL51W1JT419742 1G4AL51WOJT418632 1G4AH51W9JT418887 1G4AH51R1JT420384 1G4AL51W7JT418658 1G4AL51W4JT418892 1G4AH51W2JT421050 1G4AL51W5JT418710 1G4AH51WOJT418907 1G4AL51W4JT421128 1G4AL51W1JT418736 1G4AL51W1JT418915 1G4AL51W6JT421180 1G4AL5138JT418741 1G4AL51W9JT418922 1G4AL51W9JT421206 1G4AL51W6JT418747 1G4AH11W9JT418946 1G4AL81W8J6417678 1G4AL8139J6417694 1G4AL81W3J6417815 1G1AW51W6J6166050 1G4AL81W6J6417713 1G4AL81W7J6417820 1G1AW51W3J6165762 1G4AL81W6J6417727 1G4AH11W1J6417837 1G1AW51W4J6166967 1G4AL81W1J6417778 1G4AH1138J6417842 1G1AW11R5J6166740 1G4AL81W9J6417804 1GlAW11W2J6167933
All affected vehicles have been identified by the VIN listing provided to involved Dealers with this bulletin. Any Dealer not receiving a listing was not shipped any of the affected vehicles.
DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY:
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.
Owners of vehicles recently sold from your new vehicle inventory are to be contacted by the Dealer, and arrangements made to make the required modification according to instructions contained in this bulletin.
CAMPAIGN PROCEDURE:
Refer to Section 4 of the Service Policies and Procedures Manual for the detailed procedure on handling Product Campaigns. Dealers are requested to complete the campaign on all transfers as soon as possible.
OWNER NOTIFICATION:
All owners of record at the time of campaign release are shown on the attached computer listing and have been notified by first class mail from General Motors. The listings provided are for campaign activity only and should not be used for any other purpose.
PARTS INFORMATION:
If inspection indicates further action is require, parts should be ordered through as "E" items through regular channels as follows:
Quantity/ Part Number Usage Description Vehicle - ----------- ----- ----------- -------- 10046837 W/ V6 Engine Frame - Drive Train & 1 Front Suspension
10046838 W/ L4 Engine Frame - Drive Train & 1 Front suspension
PARTS AND LABOUR CLAIM INFORMATION:
Credit for the campaign work performed will be paid upon receipt of a properly completed campaign claim card, RAPID terminal or DCS transmission in accordance with the following:
Repair Code Description Time Allowance ----------- ----------- --------------- 1A Inspect Cradle Date Code .3 No Further Action Required
2A Inspect Cradle Date Code 3.0 Replace Frame Assembly
Time allowance includes 0.1 hour for Dealer administrative detail associated with this campaign. Parts credit will be based on Dealer net plus 30% to cover parts handling.
SERVICE PROCEDURE:
1. Raise vehicle on hoist to make underside of engine frame accessible to read run date.
2. Underside of engine mounting bracket (attached to right-hand side rail and front crossmember of frame as arrow indicates on Figure 1) should be cleaned using a naptha or paint thinner to remove wax coating.
3. Locate engine frame run date which is stamped on underside of engine mounting bracket per detail drawing (See Figure 2).
Dates of suspect Cradles include 10 NO 87, 11 NO 87, 12 NO 87 and 13 NO 87. Vehicles with frames produced on these dates must be replaced. Reference the 1988 applicable Manual for frame replacement.
4. Vehicles equipped with frames with non-suspect dates (dates other than November 10, 11, 12, or 13, 1987) should be resealed with GM approved wax or undercoating as replacement of the frame is not required.
5. Install Campaign Identification Label.
INSTALLATION OF CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL
Clean surface of radiator upper mounting panel and apply a Campaign Identification Label. Make sure the correct campaign number is inserted on the label. This will indicate that the campaign has been completed.
Dear General Motors Customer:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
General Motors of Canada has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety may exist in certain 1988 Chevrolet Celebrity and Buick Century Model vehicles. Some of these vehicles may have been assembled with a front suspension lower control arm bracket that could develop metal cracks and eventually may result in disengagement of the lower control arm. If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, it could result in a loss of steering control and a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.
To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, it will be necessary to inspect the frame assembly date code stamp on your vehicle. If your vehicle is equipped with a frame assembly containing a suspect date code (indicating a lower control arm bracket that could crack), we will replace the frame assembly on your vehicle at no charge to you.
Please contact your GM Dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date. Instructions for performing this inspection/correction have been sent to your Dealer. The labour time necessary to perform the inspection is approximately fifteen (15) minutes. If it is found that your vehicle requires frame assembly replacement, an additional two hours and forty-five minutes will be required. Please ask your Dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to schedule and process your vehicle.
This letter identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this letter to your Dealer will assist their Service personnel in completing the necessary correction to your vehicle in the shortest possible time.
Further assistance, if required, may be obtained from the General Motors Zone Office nearest you. Your vehicle Owner's Manual provides the location and phone number of each respective Zone Office.
We are sorry to cause you this inconvenience; however, we have taken this action in the interest of your continued satisfaction with our products.
Service Department General Motors of Canada Limited
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.
