CAMPAIGN: TRAILER HITCH (VR4) FASTENERS LOW TORQUE-EXT. CAB. Chevrolet Chevy K Pickup

Model and Year: 1989 CHEVROLET C/K TRUCKS MODEL 10-30 WITH EXTENDED CAB - EQUIPPED W/VR4 OPTIONAL TRAILER HITCH (OSHAWA ONLY)

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 exists in certain 1989 Chevrolet C/K Extended Cab model trucks produced at Oshawa Truck Assembly Plant. These vehicles may have below specified torque on the optional trailer hitch (VR4) attaching fasteners. This incorrect torque could allow the trailer hitch to move under towing loads. This could eventually lead to failure of the fasteners. If this occurs while a trailer is being pulled, the hitch and trailer could separate and a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.

To prevent this Condition from occurring, it will be necessary to inspect for evidence of trailer hitch movement, and if movement has occurred, the attaching fasteners will be replaced and tightened to the specified torque. If no movement has occurred, the attaching fasteners will be tightened to the specified torque.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

Involved are certain 1989 Chevrolet C/K Trucks 10-30 Models with extended cab and optional trailer hitch (VR4) built at Oshawa Truck Assembly within the following breakpoints:

MODEL/YEAR PLANT FROM THROUGH ----------- ----- ------ -------- C/K 1989 Oshawa K1100025 K1141573

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 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.

PARTS INFORMATION

Parts required to complete this campaign are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (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 ----------- ----------- ------- 11509421 Bolt, M12 x 1.75 x 40 6

15531205 Washer, M12, Special 10

11500756 Nut, Prevailing Torque, M12 4

SERVICE PROCEDURE

1. Inspect the trailer hitch platform (Figure 1.) underneath the vehicle frame for signs of movement as evidenced by scrape or scrubbing marks on the frame and by physically attempting to shift the platform.

2. If no evidence of shifting is detected, torque the two(2) fastener bolts with welded nuts and the four (4) bolts with prevailing torque nuts to the specified value. (80-10ONm or 60-75 lb.ft.)

3. If evidence of shifting is detected, the fasteners must be replaced at all six (6) fastening points, as the fasteners may be damaged.

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.

CIAIM INFORMATION

Submit a Product Campaign Claim with the information indicated below:

* Failed Parts Labor Lab Oth Repair Performed PC Part NO. Allow CC/FC OP Hrs Hrs ----------------- -- -------- ----- ------ -- ---- ---

Inspect hitch, NO signs of movement, retorque fasteners SK-00 V5380 0.3 0.1

Inspect hitch, move- ment sighted, replace and torque all fasteners 20 11509421 ** SK-00 V5381 0.5 0.1

* 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.

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.

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

WHAT WE WILL DO

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, it will be necessary to inspect for evidence of trailer hitch movement, and if movement has occurred, the attaching fasteners will be replaced and tightened to the specified torque. If no movement has occurred, the attaching fasteners will be tightened to the specified torque. 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 June 20, 1989. The labor time necessary to perform this service correction is approximately twenty-five (25) minutes. Please ask your dealer, if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to schedule and process your vehicle.

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 (correction/inspection) 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: 89997 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.