F/CMVSS Noncompliance - Headlamp Compliance

General Motors has decided that certain 1999 model year Buick Century and Regal vehicles fail to conform to Federal/Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment. Some of these vehicles do not meet the overhead sign illumination requirements in the Standard. Less illumination may reduce the ability of the driver to read overhead signs when driving at night.

Dealers are to install new low beam headlamp bulbs in both headlamp assemblies.

Involved are certain 1999 model year Buick Century and Regal 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

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 is being furnished to involved dealers. Dealers that have no involved vehicles currently assigned will not receive a Campaign Initiation Detail Report.

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 other than follow-up necessary to complete this recall 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.

Parts Pre-Ship Information

Important: An initial supply of bulb assemblies required to complete this recall will be pre-shipped to involved dealers of record. This pre-shipment is scheduled to begin the week of August 30, 2004, and will be approximately 20% of each dealer's involved vehicles. Pre-shipped parts will be charged to dealer's open parts account.

Additional parts, if required, are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). Please refer to your "involved vehicles listing" before ordering parts. Normal orders should be placed on a DRO = Daily Replenishment Order. In an emergency situation, parts should be ordered on a CSO = Customer Special Order.

The following procedure provides instructions for replacing both LOW beam headlamp bulbs.

Important: Aiming of the headlamp assembly is not required when replacing the bulb.

1. Turn the headlamp and ignition switch to the OFF position.
2. Open the hood.



3. While applying light inward pressure to the headlamp lens, locate and pull up on the two retainers to release the headlamp assembly from the body.
4. Pull the headlamp assembly forward out of the body opening.
5. Remove the rubber access cover from behind the LOW beam bulb you are replacing.

Caution: Halogen bulbs contain gas under pressure. Handling a bulb improperly could cause it to shatter into flying glass fragments. To help avoid personal injury:

•	Turn off the lamp switch and allow the bulb to cool before changing the bulb.

•	Leave the lamp switch OFF until the bulb change is complete.

•	Always wear eye protection when changing a halogen bulb.

•	Handle the bulb only by its base. Avoid touching the glass.

•	Keep dirt and moisture off of the bulb.

•	Properly dispose of the used bulb.

•	Keep halogen bulbs out of the reach of children.

6. Rotate or turn the bulb socket counterclockwise to unlock and remove it from the headlamp assembly.
7. Disconnect the electrical connector.
8. Connect the electrical connector to the new bulb.
9. Insert the new bulb into the opening in the headlamp and turn clockwise to lock into place.
10. Install the rubber access cover.
11. Position the headlamp assembly into the opening in the body.
12. While applying light inward pressure to the headlamp lens, insert the two retainers to secure the assembly to the vehicle.
13. Repeat this procedure on the opposite headlamp.
14. Close the hood.

Submit a Product Recall Claim with the information indicated below:

Note: Canadian dealers should refer to the Canadian distribution of the bulletin for detailed claim information.

Refer to the General Motors WINS Claim 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 that 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 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.

This bulletin is notice to you that the new motor vehicles included in this recall may not comply with the standard identified above. Under Title 49, Section 30112 of the United States Code, it is illegal for a dealer to sell a new motor vehicle which the dealer knows does not comply with an applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. As a consequence, if you sell any of these motor vehicles without first performing the recall correction, your dealership may be subject to a civil penalty for each such sale.

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. This could be done by mailing to such customers a copy of the customer letter accompanying this bulletin. 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.

General Motors has decided that certain 1999 model year Buick Century and Regal vehicles fail to conform to Federal/Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment. Some of these vehicles do not meed the overhead sign illumination requirements in the Standard. Less illumination may reduce the ability of the driver to read overhead signs when driving at night.

Your GM dealer will install new low beam headlamp bulbs in both of the headlamp assemblies. This service will be performed for you at no charge .

If you should require bulb replacement in the future, GM bulb number 89024715 is available from your dealer, or the equivalent Sylvania bulb is 9006HP, with orange lettering on the bulb. Keep this letter with your Owner' s Manual so you have this information available if needed.

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 eastern standard time 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 enclosed 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 back to us.

More information about this recall (including answers to 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.

Federal regulation requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days.

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

04052