CAMPAIGN: TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE DISENGAGEMENT. Buick Riviera 1990

SUBJECT: TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE DISENGAGEMENT

MODELS AFFECTED: 1990 RIVIERA AND REATTA

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 Buick 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.

CONDITION

General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1990 Buick Riviera and Reatta model vehicles. The transaxle shift control cable may disengage from the floor shift control resulting in loss of gear indicator reference and shift selector operation. The gear position indicated by the selector may differ from the actual gear position of the transaxle with the transaxle remaining in the position last selected prior to cable disengagement.

If this occurs, a number of possible conditions can exist. Unless the transaxle is actually in the park or neutral position, the engine cannot be started.

If the driver places the gear shift selector in the park position without setting the parking brake, the transaxle may not actually be in the park position and the vehicle may move if it is on an inclined surface. Also, if the driver places the gear shift selector in a drive or the reverse position without turning off the engine, the transaxle may not be in the position indicated and the vehicle may move in the opposite direction. In either case, unexpected vehicle movement could result in an accident without prior warning.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

Involved are all 1990 Buick Riviera and Reatta model vehicles built within the following VIN breakpoints: THROUGH AND YEAR MODEL PLANT FROM INCLUDING ---- ----- ----- ---- ----------- 1990 Riviera Hamtramck LU400001 LU415925 1990 Reatta Reatta Craft Centre LB900001 LB905060

DEALER ACTION

To correct this condition, dealers are to install a transaxle shift control cable retaining clip on suspect vehicles as per the Vehicles Involved and Service Procedure sections of this bulletin.

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 correction according to instructions contained in this bulletin.

DEALER MATERIAL

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

- List of all vehicles involved in this campaign shipped to your dealership - One (1) 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 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.

OWNER NOTIFICATION

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

CHANGE OF OWNER NOTIFICATION

Dealers are to use the Dealer Communication System (DCS) 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 DCS, the need to send a CVAR form for that vehicle is eliminated. Terminal input instructions are covered in the DCS Manual under Section 9, Page 9-J0lA and B.

PARTS INFORMATION

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

Quantity/ Part Number Description Vehicle

3526540 Transaxle Shift Control 1 Cable Retaining Clip

Based on your dealer list, a supply of these parts are being forwarded to you through the GMSPO Campaign Parts Pre-Ship Program. These parts will be billed on the dealer parts account. Additional parts requirements should be ordered as described above.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

1. Set parking brake. 2. Remove shift console ashtray and phillips screw (1) underneath (See Figure 1). 3. Remove tape holder and console compartment liner under arm rest. 4. Remove two (2) phillips screws under console compartment liner (See Figure 1). 5. Remove outer console trim plate (See Figure 1). 6. Remove inner console tirm plate mounting screws (2) and plate. 7. Make sure transaxle shift control cable is properly seated (cable closet to driver's side). Fully insert transaxle control cable retaining clip retaining clip between the shift cable body and cable retaining tabs (Figures 2 and 3). This will force the tabs outward so that the cable is firmly locked to the shifter base. 8. Reverse steps 1 through 6 to assemble. 9. Install Campaign Identification Label.

CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL

Each vehicle corrected 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 (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 owner.

Apply "Campaign Identification Label" only on a clean, dry surface.

WARRANTY INFORMATION

SUBLET PART FAILED PARTS FAILURE LABOR LABOR OTHER DEALER OPER COUNT PART NO ALLOW CODE OP NO HOURS HOURS MTL TWG ---- ----- ------- ----- ------- ----- ----- ----- -------

* Install Transaxle Shift Control Cable Retaining Clip

1 3526540 ** 96 V3600 0.3 *0.1 --

* Campaign Administrative Allowance

** Dealer current net price plus 30% of all parts required for the repair

Dear Buick Owner:

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

REASON FOR THIS RECALL

General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1990 Riviera and Reattas. The transaxle shift control cable may disengage from the floor shift control resulting in loss of gear indicator reference and shift selector operation. The gear position indicated by the selector may differ from the actual gear position of the transaxle with the transaxle remaining in the position last selected prior to cable disengagement.

If this occurs, a number of possible conditions can exist. Unless the transaxle is actually in the park or neutral position, the engine cannot be started.

To correct this condition, your dealer will install a transaxle shift control cable retaining clip on your vehicle. This service will be performed for you at no charge.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

Until you have had the opportunity to have your dealer correct this condition, we recommend that the parking brake always be firmly applied when the vehicle is parked. Also, when changing gear selection from drive to reverse or reverse to drive, always firmly apply the brake pedal until the actual gear position of the transaxle (direction) is confirmed.

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. The labor time necessary to perform this service correction is approximately twenty (20) minutes. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to schedule and process your vehicle.

Even if your Riviera or Reatta was previously repaired for this or a similar type condition, please contact your dealer to have the retaining clip installed on your vehicle.

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 five (5) days, we recommend you contact the Buick Customer Assistance Center, Flint Home Office, by calling 1-800-521-7300.

After contacting your dealer and the 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, D. C. 20590 or call 1-800-424-9393 (Washington D. C. residents use 366-0123).

The enclosed owner 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.

Object Number: 90652 Size: FS

Object Number: 93787 Size: LF

Object Number: 94287 Size: MF

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.