| Subject: | Guidelines for Using E2020-Wheel Alignments, E2000-Toe Adjust and E0200, E0201, E0203, E0204-Wheel Balance |
| Models: | 1989-2007 Passenger Cars and Light Duty Trucks (Including Saturn) |
This bulletin is being revised to add the 2006 and 2007 models years and include Saturn and H3 models. Please discard Corporate Bulletin Number 01-03-10-012B (Section 03 -- Suspension).
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide retail and wholesale service personnel with guidelines for using the above subject labor operations. It can often be difficult for dealers to determine if a misalignment condition is the result of a defect
in material or workmanship with repairs being charged to the manufacturer, or if the condition is a result of "wear and tear" and repairs should be charged to the customer.
Effective with repair orders dated on or after September 1, 1997, dealers are to be guided by the following:
| • | 0 - 800 km (0 - 500 mi): Due to the tie down during shipping, the vehicle's suspension requires some time to reach normal operating position. For this reason, new vehicles are NOT
to be aligned
until they have accumulated at least 800 km (500 mi). |
| • | 800 - 12,000 km (501 - 7,500 mi): If a vehicle came from the factory with incorrect alignment settings, any resulting abnormal tire wear or unusual handling characteristics would be apparent early in the life of the vehicle.
Customers are expected to bring these conditions to the attention of the dealer. For owners who present their vehicles prior to 12,000 km (7,500 mi) for conditions that would result in the need to utilize one or more of the subject labor operations,
it should be considered a warrantable repair. Tire rotations within this mileage must be performed at the owner's expense. |
| • | 12,000 - 16,000 km (7,501 - 10,000 mi): During this period, dealers are empowered to make goodwill adjustments, on a case-by-case basis with service management approval, to owners who present their vehicles for conditions
that result in the need to use one or more of the subject labor operations. |
| • | 16,000 km and beyond (10,001 mi and beyond): Owners who present their vehicles beyond 16,000 km (10,001 mi) for conditions that would result in the need to utilize one or more of the subject labor operations, without
a defect, are responsible for the maintenance expense. In the event that a defective component required the use of one or more of the subject labor operations, the identified defective component labor operation will include the appropriate labor time as an
add condition to the component repair. |
Additional Requirement
As a reminder, before and after settings are to be recorded on the repair order for all alignment repairs.
