CAMPAIGN: FUEL TANK MAY FATIQUE OR CRACK (LEAK)
Model and Year: 1989 CHEVROLET CAVALIER, CORSICA AND BERETTA EQUIPPED WITH 2.OL OR 2.8L ENGINE (VIN CODES 1, K, M, OR W)
TO: ALL CHEVROLET DEALERS
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 Chevrolet 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.
DEFECT INVOLVED
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety may exist in certain 1989 Chevrolet cavalier, corsica and Beretta model vehicles equipped with 2.0L or 2.8L engines. Some of the involved vehicles may have been built with the potential for a fuel tank leak. Small creases on the underside of the tank may fatigue and crack during pressure cycling of the tank which occurs during normal operation vehicle. Over a period of time, a crack may form at the location of the crease and cause the fuel tank to leak. If this leak is undetected and there is an external source of ignition present, this condition could ultimately result in a fire.
To prevent this condition from occurring, dealers are to inspect all involved vehicles and replace fuel tanks as required per the instructions in the SERVICE PROCEDURE section of this bulletin.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are certain 1989 Chevrolet Cavalier, Corsica and Beretta model vehicles equipped with a 2.0L or 2.8L engine and produced within the following VIN breakpoints:
MODEL/YEAR PLANT FROM THROUGH ---------- ----- ---- ------- 1989 Cavalier Lordstown K7139145 K7142007
1989 Cavalier Janesville KJ146275 KJ151216
1989 Corsica/ Beretta Wilmington KY158700 KY160835
1989 Corsica/ Beretta Linden KE160817 KE162942
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 Chevrolet Motor Division (see copy of owner letter included with 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 sublect 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.
PARTS INFORMATION
Parts, when required, are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). To ensure 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 ----------- ----------- ------- 22536716 Tank, Fuel - 2.8L Engine (VIN Code "W") Only 1
22527083 Tank, Fuel - 2.0L Engine (VIN Codes "1", "K" or "M") Only 1
3893116 O-Ring, Fuel Tank Sender 1
22524101 Sound Insulator, Fuel Tank 2
561270 Sound Insulator, Fuel Tank 1
NOTICE: It is expected that only 16% (one in six) vehicles inspected will require fuel tank replacement; please order tanks accordingly, based on attached involved vehicle listing.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
1. Place vehicle on hoist and disconnect negative battery cable.
2. Raise vehicle, observing instructions and cautions listed in applicable 1989 Chevrolet service manual (Section OA) regarding hoisting of vehicle.
3. Using Figures 1 and 2, find precise area on bottom of fuel tank to be inspected. The view in Figure 1 is looking up at the bottom of the fuel tank (bottom of Figure 1 is toward the vehicle front end). Figure 2 is a photographic view looking up at the fuel tank bottom at an angle from the rear. ONLY the area shown inside the dashed box on the photograph is to be inspected. Any waviness of the sheet metal OUTSIDE the dashed box is acceptable.
It is expected that only one of every six fuel tanks inspected will be deformed as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Other areas of the tank surface may have some waviness which does not affect tank life.
If the deformation ("raised area") is found at the exact location shown in the Figures, proceed to Step 4; otherwise proceed to Step 6.
4. If the vehicle has a 2.8L engine (VIN Code W), obtain a Fuel Tank P/N 22536716 to replace the tank on the vehicle. For a 2.0L engine (VIN Codes 1, K, L or M), obtain Fuel Tank P/N 22527083.
Also, obtain a fuel sender 0-ring and sound insulators as listed in the Parts Information section.
5. Replace the fuel tank, observing the instructions and CAUTIONS as listed in the appropriate 1989 Chevrolet Service Manual, Section 6C.
6. Lower vehicle, reconnect negative battery cable and 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.
CLAIM INFORMATION
Submit a Product Campaign Claim with the information indicated below:
* Failed Parts Labor Lab Oth Net Repair Performed PC Part No. Allow FC Op Hrs Hrs Amt
Inspect Fuel Tank -- -- ** 00 V4990 0.2 0.1 ***
Inspect and Replace 22536716 ** 00 V4991 0.9 0.1 *** Fuel Tank 5 or 22527083
* Campaign Administrative Allowance
** The "Parts Allowance" should be the sum total of the current GMSPO Dealer Net price plus 30% of all parts required for the repair.
*** Towing charges and miscellaneous charges should be listed in the "Net Amount" column. Wholesale authorization "E" is required for any towing or additional labor/ maintenance.
Dealers will automatically receive the correct labor and material allowance based on the labor operation performed.
Refer to the Chevrolet Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Campaign Claim Submission.
January 19, 1989
Dear Chevrolet Owner:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the 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 may exist in some 1989 Chevrolet Cavalier, Corsica and Beretta model vehicles. Some of the involved vehicles may have been built with the potential for a fuel tank leak. Small creases on the underside of the tank may fatigue and crack during pressure cycling of the tank which occurs during normal operation of the vehicle. Over a period of time, a crack may form at the location of the crease and cause the fuel tank to leak. If this leak is undetected and there is an external source of ignition present, this condition could ultimately result in a fire.
WHAT WE WILL DO
The fuel tank on your vehicle will be inspected, and if necessary, replaced. This service will be performed for you at no charge.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
Please contact your Chevrolet dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date. Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your dealer. It is estimated that parts will be available on or about January 19, 1989. The labor time necessary to inspect the fuel tank is approximately fifteen (15) minutes. If replacement of the fuel tank is necessary, approximately fifty-five (55) minutes will be required to service your vehicle. Allow the dealer extra time to transfer your unused fuel to the new fuel tank. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to schedule and process your vehicle.
If a fuel tank leak does occur, you may see a puddle of gasoline under the vehicle just ahead of the rear tires, and/or you may smell gasoline. If this occurs, contact your dealer immediately to service the vehicle. A vehicle leaking fuel should not be left in a confined area or near a source of ignition.
Your Chevrolet dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide service to insure 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 Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center by calling 1-800-222-1020.
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 inspection/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.
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.
