CAMPAIGN: UPPER TRANSAXLE OIL COOLER LINE SEPARATION
SUBJECT: PRODUCT SAFETY CAMPAIGN - UPPER TRANSAXLE OIL COOLER LINE SEPARATION (27 STATES ONLY) ----------------------------------------------------
MODELS AFFECTED: CERTAIN 1992-93 BUICK LESABRE AND PARK AVENUE/ULTRAS ---------------------------------
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 customer 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 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 solutions, every effort must be made to promptly schedule an appointment with each customer 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 customers, the customers are being instructed to contact the Buick Customer Relations Center if their dealer does not remedy the condition within (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 1992-93 Buick LeSabre and Park Avenue/Ultra model vehicles located in certain states (see Vehicles Involved section). These vehicles have an upper transaxle oil cooler hose which could pull out of the crimped coupling at the transaxle end of the assembly. Under certain climatic conditions and under certain driving conditions, if this coupling were to separate and an ignition source was present, an engine compartment fire could occur.
To prevent this condition from occurring, dealers are to install a new upper transaxle oil cooler line (to transaxle) on all involved vehicles.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are certain 1992-93 Buick LeSabre and Park Avenue/Ultra model vehicles which are located in certain states and were built within the following VIN breakpoints:
PLANT YEAR MODEL PLANT CODE FROM THROUGH ---- ---- ----- ----- ---- -------
1992 Park Ave/Ultra Wentzville I N1606017 N1669415 1993 Park Ave/Ultra Wentzville I P1600022 P1655292 199 2 LeSabre Buick City H NH400023 NH571551 1993 LeSabre Buick City H PH400006 PH550942
NOTICE: ONLY CERTAIN VEHICLES WITHIN THESE VIN RANGES ARE AFFECTED. PLEASE CHECK YOUR DEALER CAMPAIGN LISTING OR THE VEHICLE INFORMATION SERVICE SYSTEM (VIISS) FOR INVOLVEMENT OF SUSPECT VEHICLES.
Affected states are as follows:
Alaska Maryland New York Colorado Massachusetts Ohio Connecticut Michigan Pennsylvania Delaware Minnesota Rhode Island Illinois Montana South Dakota Indiana Nebraska Vermont Iowa North Dakota West Virginia Kentucky New Hampshire Wisconsin Maine New Jersey Wyoming
Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number Computer Listings. Computer listings contain the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data, and are furnished to involved dealers with the campaign bulletin. Customer name and address data furnished will enable dealers to follow-up with customers involved in this campaign.
These listings may contain customer 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
NOTICE: DUE TO LIMITED INITIAL PARTS AVAILABILITY OF PART NUMBER 25659161 DEALERS ARE ENCOURAGED NOT TO ORDER LARGE QUANTITIES OF THESE PARTS FOR USE AS SHELF STOCK.
Parts are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). Normal orders should be placed on a DRO (Daily Replenishment Order). An emergency requirement should be ordered on a CSO (Customer Special Order).
PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION QUANTITY/VEHICLE ----------- ----------- ---------------- 25659161 Hose Assembly, Transaxle Oil Cooler 1 or 25623916 Hose Assembly, Transaxle Oil Cooler 1 25621969 Clamp, Hose 1 12346145 Oil, Transmission (DEXRON IIE or III) As Required
NOTICE: PART NUMBER 25623916 WILL ONLY BE NEEDED ON A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF VEHICLES AND SHOULD NOT BE STOCKED, BUT ONLY ORDERED WHEN NEEDED.
CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION
Customers will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by Buick Motor Division (see copy of customer 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 customers take possession of these vehicles.
Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this campaign at no charge to customers regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward.
Customers of vehicles recently sold from your vehicle inventory with no customer 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. Campaign 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 vehicl subject to this campaign enters your vehicle inventory, or is in your dealership for service in the future, please take steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
1. Remove old upper transaxle oil cooler hose clamp(s) and hose assembly. See Figure for hose clamp location and vertically mounted ball check fitting location. If no hose clamp is on hose assembly, refer to the notice below:
NOTICE: A SMALL QUANTITY OF 1992 AND 1993 VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH A ONE-PIECE TRANSAXLE OIL COOLER LINE (NO HOSE CLAMPS). ON THESE VEHICLES, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE COMPLETE LINE WITH A NEW PART (NO. 25623916). PIPE TO RADIATOR TORQUE WHEN INSTALLING A ONE-PIECE LINE IS 27 N.m (20 LB. FT.). STEPS 4 AND 5 WILL NOT BE PERFORMED ON VEHICLES WITH ONE-PIECE LINES.
2. Install new upper transaxle oil cooler hose assembly to transaxle finger tight.
3. Tighten fitting at transaxle to 27 N,m (20 lb. ft).
4. Push hose onto cooler tube at radiator until hose end touches tube stop bead.
5. Install new hose clamp on hose at pipe end. Tighten clamp to 4.0 N.m + .5 N.m (35 lb. in. + 4 lb in.). Clamp placement is critical, improper location can cause leaks.
6. Insure pipe is located properly in transaxle support bracket slot and cooler line retainer. See Figure above.
7. Check and refill transaxle as necessary. Use only DEXRON III or DEXRON IIE Automatic Transmission Fluid. Start vehicle and check for fluid leaks.
8. Install Campaign Identification Label.
CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL
Each vehicle 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 and the five (5) digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or a ball point pen.
Each "Campaign Identification Label" is to be located on the radiator core support in an area which will be visible when the vehicle is brought in for periodic servicing by the customer. When using the new campaign identification label, be sure to install the clear protective covering. Additional "Campaign Identification Labels" can be obtained from VISPAC Incorporated by calling 1-800-269-5100 (Monday through Friday 8:00a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST). Ask for item Number S-1015 when ordering.
Apply "Campaign Identification Label" on a clean dry surface.
CLAIM INFORMATION
REPAIR PART FAILED PART CC-FC LABOR LABOR Net Amount PERFORMED COUNT PART NO. ALLOW. OP. HRS. --------- ----- -------- ------ ----- ----- ------ ----------
Replace Upper 25659161 Transaxle Oil 2 or MA-96 V9891 *0.3 $#.## Cooler Line 25623916
For Campaign Administrative Allowance, add 0.1 hours to the "Labor Hours". The "Parts Allowance" should be the sum total of the current GMSPO Dealer Net price plus 30% of all parts required for the repair. The amount identified in the "Net Amount" column should represent the sum of the current GMSPO Dealer Net price plus 30% for one pint of DEXRON III or DEXRON IIE Automatic Transmission Fluid used to perform the required repairs.
Dear Buick Customer:
This notice is being sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
SAFETY RECALL FOR:
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1992-93 Buick LeSabre and Park Avenue/Ultra model vehicles. These vehicles have an upper transaxle oil cooler hose which could pull out of the crimped coupling at the transaxle end of the assembly. Under certain climatic conditions and under certain driving conditions, if this coupling was to separate and an ignition source was present, an engine compartment fire could occur.
ACTION
To prevent this condition from occurring, dealers will install a new upper transaxle oil cooler line (to transaxle) on all involved vehicles. This service will be performed for you at no charge.
This action is being taken in the states of- Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
HOW LONG WILL REPAIR TAKE?
The labor time necessary to perform this service is approximately twenty (20) minutes. Additionally, one or two hours may be required to schedule and process your vehicle. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed.
CONTACTING YOUR BUICK DEALER:
Please contact your Buick dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date. Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your dealer and parts are available.
Your Buick 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 (5) days, we recommend you contact the Buick Customer Relations Center by calling 1-800-521-7300.
After contacting your dealer and the Customer Relations 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, SW, Washington DC 20590 or call 1-800-424-9393 (Washington D. C. residents use 202-366-0123).
CUSTOMER REPLY CARD
The enclosed customer reply card identifies your vehicle. 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 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.
