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 adequately repair within 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 owners 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 which is being sent to owners, the owners are being instructed to contact the nearest Chevrolet Branch Office if their dealer does not remedy the condition within five 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 Safety Administration.
General Motors has determined that certain 1984, 1985 and 1986 Chevrolet C31 Light Duty Cab and Chassis models equipped with a low service body and loaded to the maximum required weight for a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 301 test failed to comply with the requirements of FMVSS 301 "Fuel System Integrity" during a 30 mph frontal barrier test. The impact caused a hole to be cut into the fuel tank which allowed greater than acceptable fuel spillage. Fuel spillage during and after such a collision could result in a fire.
To correct this noncompliance, it will be necessary to add an additional shield to the front of the original equipment stone shield to protect the fuel tank in the event of a severe frontal impact.
Involved are certain 1984, 1985 and 1986 Chevrolet C31 Light Duty Cab and Chassis models built within the following VIN breakpoints:
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 the 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.
Owners will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by Chevrolet Motor Division (see copy of Owner Letter included with this bulletin).
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 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.
This bulletin is notice to you that the new motor vehicles included in this campaign may not comply with the standard identified above. Under Section 108 of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, it is illegal for a dealer to sell a new motor vehicle which the dealer knows does not comply with an applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. As a consequence, if you sell any of these motor vehicles without first performing the campaign correction, your dealership may be subject to a civil penalty up to $1,000 for each such sale.
Parts required to complete this modification 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. with no special instruction code. but on an advise code (2).
PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION QUANTITY ----------- ----------- -------- 15549268 Fuel Tank Shield 1
Trucks equipped with dual fuel tanks require two (2) kits.
PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION QUANTITY 15549269 Instruction Sheet 1 15549267 Extension-Fuel 1 Tank Shield 2477054 Rivet-Dome Head 4 Blind 9416128 Washer-Flat 4
o Raise and support vehicle on a hoist.
o Remove the plastic fuel tank shield from the left hand mounted fuel tank. Figure No. 1.
o Mark and then drill the four hole locations in the existing fuel tank shield, using the new shield extension as a template, Figure No. 1, View A. Use a 13/64" bit for drilling.
o Rivet the two fuel tank shields together. The shield extension fits on the inside of the existing shield. The flat washers, used as reinforcements, should be visible on the outside of the shield assembly, Figure No. 1.
o Reinstall the fuel tank shield assembly to the vehicle. Torque fasteners 10-15 N.m (7-11 lb.ft.), Figure No. 1.
o Repeat procedure on right hand fuel tank if the vehicle is equipped with RPO NL2, dual 20 gallon fuel tanks.
Each vehicle modified 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 digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or ballpoint 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.
Submit a Product Campaign Claim with the information indicated below:
* FAILED PARTS LABOR LAB OTH REPAIR PERFORMED PC PART NO. ALLOW FC OP HRS HRS ---------------- -- -------- ----- -- -- --- --- INSTALL FUEL TANK 1 15549268 ** 00 V3810 0.6 0.1 SHIELD - LEFT SIDE ONLY
INSTALL FUEL TANK 2 15549268 ** 00 V3811 1.1 0.1 SHIELD - BOTH SIDES
*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 Processirig Manual for details on Product Campaign Claim submission.
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.