CAMPAIGN: REAR WHEEL TIE RODS MAY FATIGUE/FRACTURE
Model and Year: 1988-89 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
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 1988-89 Chevrolet Corvette model vehicles. The rear wheel tie rod assembly of these vehicles may fatigue and could fracture at the inboard bearing due to high inner-joint rocking torque. Fracture in this assembly could result in a loss of vehicle control and a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.
To prevent this condition from occurring, involved vehicles will be inspected to determine the amount of rocking torque on each tie rod. Tie rod assemblies above 12Nm rocking torque on either side will be replaced.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are certain 1988-89 Chevrolet Corvette model vehicles built within the following VIN breakpoints:
MODEL/YEAR PLANT FROM THROUGH ---------- ----- ---- ------- Y 1988 Bowling Green J5100001 J5122789
Y 1989 Bowling Green K5100001 K5126328
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. Some owners will receive letters addressing more than one campaign on their vehicle (see copy of owner letter included with this bulletin) as shown in the chart below.
VIN Range Campaigns Addressed in Owner Letters --------- ------------------------------------ J5100001 - J5122789 89C17
K5100001 - K5101999 89C17
K5102000 - K5110724 89C17/90C09(a)
K5110725 - K5122003 89C17
K5122004 - K5126328 89C17/90C09(a)
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.
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).
It is estimated that parts to complete this campaign will not be available until the week of April 16, 1990. Quantity/ Part Number Description Vehicle ----------- ----------- ------- 12337997 Cotter Pin 2 10181305 Tie Rod Assembly 1
DEALERS ARE TO RETURN ALL SERVICE INVENTORY OF PART NO. 14091320. PLEASE IDENTIFY AS A SPECIAL RETURN ON YOUR PC659 DOCUMENT.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
TO PROPERLY PERFORM THIS PROCEDURE IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE WEIGHT REFERENCED IN STEP 1 BE UTILIZED.
Tools Required: J-24319-01 - Universal Steering Linkage Puller J-29892-A - (R-4) Compressor Tool Kit
1. Fabricate/Assemble weight from materials indicated and as illustrated in Figure 1.
2. Raise Vehicle.
3. Remove cotter pins, nuts and washers from both outer rear tie rod ends and disconnect from knuckle assemblies utilizing tool J-24319-01.
NOTICE: Do Not loosen locking jam nuts located between the outer tie rod ends and adjusting tubes.
4. Raise and hold outer end of left hand tie rod linkage in its upper most position, insuring rod is not rotated while being raised. Attach weight as shown in Figure 2, release linkage and note results. Repeat procedure on right hand tie rod linkage.
5. Based on observations noted in performing step 4, select appropriate action from those noted below:
A. Linkage moves downward on both sides - Reconnect tie rod sockets to knuckles, install washers and nuts, torque nuts to 45 Nm (33 lbs. ft.) and install cotter pins.
B. Linkage on either or both sides doesn't move downward - Replace tie rod assembly, transferring existing tie rod ends to new assembly and following Section 3D in the Chevrolet Corvette Service Manual of the appropriate year.
6. 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 CC-FC LABOR LAB OTH REPAIR PERFORMED PC PART NO. ALLOW OP HRS HRS ---------------- --- -------- ----- ----- -- --- --- Inspect Tie Rods 2 12337997 SK-00 V5880 0.5 0.1 No Repair Required
Inspect/RepLace 3 10181305 SK-00 V5881 2.2 0.1 Tie Rod AssembLy
* 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 1989 Chevrolet Corvette 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 exists in certain 1988-89 Chevrolet Corvette model vehicles. The rear wheel tie rod assembly of these vehicles may fatigue and could fracture. A fracture in this assembly could result in a loss of vehicle control and a vehicle crash without prior warning.
Additionally, parking brakes on certain 1989-90 Chevrolet Corvette model vehicles may become inoperable due to the cable button pulling through and separating from the nylon reel to which it is attached. This condition occurs on application only, not under sustained load conditions. The condition will be obvious due to a lack of resistance during parking brake application.
WHAT WE WILL DO
To prevent either of these conditions from occurring, vehicles will be inspected and tie rod assemblies found to be faulty will be replaced. Also, a new parking brake assembly will be installed.
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 and parts will be available on or about the week of April 16, 1990. The labor time necessary to perform this service inspection/correction is approximately 3 hours. PleaBe 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.
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 exists in certain 1988-89 Chevrolet Corvette model vehicles. The rear wheel tie rod assembly of these vehicles may fatigue and could fracture. A fracture in this assembly could result in a loss of vehicle control and a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.
WHAT WE WILL DO
To prevent this condition from occurring, vehicies will be inspected and tie rod assemblies found to be faulty will be 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 and parts will be available on or about the week of April 16, 1990. The labor time necessary to perform this service inspection/correction is approximately 2 1/4 hours. 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.
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.
