CAMPAIGN: BRACKET INTERFERENCE RUBBING THROUGH BRAKE LINE

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 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 which is being sent to owners, the owners are being instructed to contact the nearest Chevrolet Zone office if their dealer does not remedy the condition within five days of the agreed service date. If the condition is not remedied within a reasonable time, they are instructed 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 some 1983 Chevrolet Malibu, El Camino and Monte Carlo Model Cars equipped with 5.7 liter V8 diesel engines. The rear brake master cylinder brake pipe may rub on the air cleaner resonator bracket. Over an extended period of operation, the brake pipe could wear through, resulting in a brake fluid leak and loss of the rear brakes. These vehicles are equipped with dual braking systems; part of the system will still work and allow the vehicle to be stopped, but over a greater distance. Loss of rear braking at a time when minimum stopping distance is required could result in a vehicle crash without prior warning.

DEALER ACTION

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring on vehicles involved, dealers are to make sure there is a minimum of 19mm (3/4 inch) clearance between the brake pipe and resonator bracket, if there is not, they must reposition pipe to provide this clearance.

Also, if the pipe is worn due to contacting the bracket, the pipe is to be replaced.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

Involved are certain 1983 Chevrolet Malibu, El Camino and Monte Carlo Models equipped with 5.7 liter V8 diesel engines within vehicle identification numbers:

Plant From Through ------ ---- ------- Arlington SOP DR249852

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 was not shipped any involved vehicles.

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 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.

Owners of vehicles recently sold from your new vehicle inventory are to be contacted by the dealer, and arrangements made to make the required modification according to instructions contained in this bulletin.

PARTS INFORMATION

Make Pipe, Part Number 25513371, if required for this campaign is to be obtained from WDDGM. Very few pipes will require replacement on vehicles inspected.

To ensure this part will be obtained as soon as possible, it should be ordered from GM Part (WDDGM) on a C.I.O. order with no special instruction code, but order on an advise code (2). Parts will be available approximately October 31, 1983.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

1. Open vehicle hood and check to determine if the rear brake system pipe from master cylinder to proportioner valve has a minimum clearance of 3/4" to the air cleaner resonator bracket. Refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 - View A.

2. If the brake pipe has been contacting the bracket and has a shiny or worn spot due to this contact, replace pipe with Part Number 25513371. Refer to Section 5 of the 1983 Chassis Service Manual for brake bleeding information and Figure 2 - for required pipe clearances.

3. If clearance is less than specified, reform the pipe to provide 3/4" clearance. If the pipe is replaced due to wear, be sure to provide 3/4" clearance between it and the resonator bracket and properly refill the system with brake fluid, and bleed to ensure performance.

4. Install Campaign Label.

CLAIM INFORMATION

Submit a Product Campaign Claim with the information indicated below:

Parts Failed Parts Failure Labor Labor *Other Net Count Part No. Allowance Code Operation Hours Hours Amount ----- -------- --------- ---- --------- ----- ----- ------ 00 V1830 .2 .1

Description: Inspect and reposition brake pipe according to the instructions outlined in this bulletin.

Parts Failed Parts Failure Labor Labor *Other Net Count Part No. Allowance Code Operation Hours Hours Amount ----- -------- ---------- ---- --------- ----- ----- ------ 1 25513371 00 V1831 .5 .1 .81

Description: Inspect and replace brake pipe according to the instructions outlined in this bulletin.

*Campaign Administrative Allowance.

Dealers will automatically receive the correct parts and labor allowance based on the Labor Operation performed.

**The $.81 identified in the "Net Amount Column" represents the brake fluid allowance for labor operation V1831.

Refer to the Chevrolet Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Campaign claim submission.

CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL

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 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.

AMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

REFER TO THE CURRENT CHEVROLET SERVICE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL AND CLAIMS PROCESSING MANUAL FOR CAMPAIGN HANDLING AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES.

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1983 Chevrolet Malibu, El Camino and Monte Carlo Model Cars equipped with 5.7 liter V8 Diesel engines. The rear brake master cylinder brake pipe may rub on the air cleaner resonator bracket. Over an extended period of operation, the brake pipe could wear through, resulting in a brake fluid leak and loss of the rear brakes. These vehicles are equipped with dual braking system; part of the system will still work and allow the vehicle to be stopped, but over a greater distance. Loss of rear braking at a time when minimum stopping distance is required could result in a vehicle crash without prior warning.

To prevent this from occurring on your vehicle, your Chevrolet Dealer will inspect for proper clearance between the master cylinder brake pipe and the resonator bracket. If necessary, they will make modifications to provide proper clearance. If the pipe is worn due to contacting the bracket, the pipe will be replaced. This service will be performed at no charge to you.

Instructions for making this inspection and modification have been sent to your Chevrolet Dealer. Parts will be available approximately October 31, 1983. Please contact your dealer to arrange a service date. The labor time necessary to perform this inspection and modification is approximately 15 minutes. Brake pipe replacement, if required, will take about half an hour. Please allow additional time for the dealer to process your vehicle.

Until you have had an opportunity to have this service completed you should be alert for an increase in brake pedal travel during brake application and illumination of the brake warning light on the instrument panel.

Your Chevrolet Dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide service to ensure your vehicle is corrected as promptly as possible. However, if 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 days, we recommend you contact the nearest Chevrolet Zone Office, either in person or by telephone. The Zone Office will assist you and the dealer in getting your vehicle corrected The locations and telephone numbers of the Zone offices are listed in your Owner's Manual.

After contacting your dealer and the Zone Office, if you are still not satisfied that we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge 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 800-424-9393 (Washington, D.C. residents use 426-0123).

The enclosed owner reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist them in making the necessary correction to your vehicle in the shortest possible time. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please let us know by completing the postage paid owner 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.