CAMPAIGN: REAR BENCH SEAT STRENGTH (SERVICE PROCEDURE)
SUBJECT: REAR BENCH SEAT BACK STRENGTH
MODELS: 1989-91 G-VANS WITH A03 OR AQ4 SEATING
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 appointments with owners and to repair their vehicles as soon as possible. As you will see in reading the attached copy of the letter which is being sent to owners, the owner is being instructed to contact the nearest GMC Zone Office if the 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 how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
DEFECT INVOLVED
General Motors has determined that the rear bench seats in certain 1989-91 G-Vans fail to conform to the requirements of FMVSS 207, 'Seating Systems'. Should one of these vehicles become involved in an accident and there were passengers in the seat, the seat back frame could break and suddenly recline without supporting the loading specified in the Federal standard. This could increase the likelihood of occupant injury.
In order to comply with FMVSS 207, and to correct this condition, reinforcements will be added that run from the side of the seat back frame assembly to the seat cushion frame assembly to strengthen the seat back.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are CERTAIN 1989-91 G-Vans built within the following VIN breakpoints:
Model LORDSTOWN SCARBOROUGH Year From Through From Through ---- -------- -------- -------- -------- 1989 K7500138 K7524634 K4501016 K4529091 1990 L7500001 L7526003 L4500215 L4522495 1991 M7500001 M7500715 M4500013 M4500529
The specific vehicles involved in this campaign have been identified by Vehicle identification Number Computer Listings. These listings are furnished to all involved dealers with the campaign 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. Dealers are to correct all affected vehicles in new and used vehicle stock prior to their sale.
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 ensure 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.
This bulletin is notice to you that the new motor vehicles involved 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.
If the name and address of the owner of an involved vehicle was unavailable to GMC Truck Division at the time of campaign initiation, the dealer must determine the owner's name and address from the dealership sales records. Please provide this information directly on the second copy of the listing next to the applicable VIN so that our records may be updated and the appropriate notification mailed to the owner. This second copy should then be submitted to the address listed below in the previously supplied yellow campaign envelopes.
GMC Truck Division General Motors Corporation 101 Union Street Plymouth, Michigan 48170
OWNER NOTIFICATION
Owners will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by GMC Truck Division (see copy of owner letter included with this bulletin). A listing of owner names and addresses has been furnished to the involved dealers to enable dealers to follow up with owners involved in this campaign. This listing 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 this campaign.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
G-VANS WITH A03 SEATING - THREE PASSENGER BENCH SEAT(S) REQUIRES PARTS KIT(S) #15661527
Remove bench seat from vehicle and place upside down on a clean tarp.
1. Loosen seat back cover corners, by clipping off hog rings as shown in Figure 1.
2. Remove arm rests.
3. Slide reinforcing plate under the seat back cover, up the seat side with the largest diameter hole going first as shown in Figure 2. See Figure 3 for visual reference of how bracket should be located underneath seat cover.
4. Align the hole in the reinforcing plate behind the hole in the seat back frame used for the arm rest retention bolt as referenced in Figure 3.
5. Install arm rest.
6. Sliding the reinforcing plate toward the front of the bench, locate the flat surface that exists just as the seat back mounts to the seat bench. Using the reinforcing plate as a template, punch hole location through the vinyl seat bench cover and onto seat bench frame as shown in Figure 4.
7. Cut a small amount of material away from drilling locations. This will prevent material from ripping during drilling operation.
8. Drill 6.7 mm (17/64 inch) holes at punch locations in seat bench frame as shown in Figure 5.
9. Install lower half of reinforcing plate using self tapping fastener to seat bench. Reference Figure 6.
10. Torque fasteners to 20-25 N-m (15-19 ft. lbs).
11. Refasten seat back cover corners using hog rings as shown in Figure 7.
12. Install seat in vehicle. Reference Figure 8.
13. Install Campaign identification Label.
G-VANS WITH A04 SEATING - REARMOST FOUR PASSENGER BENCH SEAT REQUIRES PARTS KIT #15677204 --------------------------------------- Remove bench seat from vehicle and place upside down on a clean tarp.
1. Remove seat belt retractor. Reference Figure 9.
2. Loosen seat back and bench cover corners by clipping off hog rings as shown in Figures 9 & 10.
3. Two holes will have to be drilled on each side of the seat assembly. These holes will be located on the centerline of the seat back and bench frames. The first hole location will be on the seat back frame centerline approximately 1/4" below the break line as shown in Figure 11.
4. The hole in the seat bench frame will be located by using the reinforcing rod as a template and holding one end fixed at the point described on the seat back frame in Step 3. The hole location on the seat bench frame will be where the reinforcing rod intersects the seat bench frame centerline. Reference Figure 11.
5. Holding the reinforcing rod in position, and using a hammer, strike the reinforcing rod to transfer punch marks into seat frame assembly. Reference Figure 11.
6. Drill four (two each side) pilot holes at punched locations using a 1/8" drill.
7. Drill four (two each side) holes at piloted loca- tions using a 21/64" drill.
8. Insert reinforcing rod into drilled holes and attach using 'push-on' fasteners. Reference Figure 12.
9. Push-on fasteners should be installed in such a manner that the reinforcing rod is secured tightly against the seat back and bench frames.
10. Pull down and hog ring seat bench cover.
11. Pull down and hog ring seat back cover.
12. Install seat belt retractor per service manual.
13. Install seat in vehicle.
14. Install Campaign Identification Label.
PARTS INFORMATION
Parts are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operation (GMSPO). To ensure that 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 order under an advise code (2). NOTE: DEPENDING ON SEAT CONFIGURATION, MULTIPLE PARTS KITS MAY BE REQUIRED
G-VANS WITH A03 SEATING - THREE PASSENGER BENCH SEAT
Service Kit 15661527 Kit consists of: PARTS NUMBER DESCRIPTION QUANTITY ------------ ---------------------- ----------------------- 15681570 Reinforcing Plate 2 Per 3-Passenger Seat 11509126 Self-Tapping Fastener 2 Per 3-Passenger Seat
G-VANS WITH AQ4 SEATING - FOUR PASSENGER BENCH SEAT
Service Kit 15677204 Kit consists of: PARTS NUMBER DESCRIPTION QUANTITY ------------- ---------------- ---------------------- 15677203 Reinforcing Rod 2 Per 4-Passenger Seat 22523840 Push-On Fastener 4 Per 4-Passenger Seat
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Dealers should submit a warranty claim on each vehicle completed under this campaign.
*For dealer to receive Administrative Time Allowance associated with this campaign, add 0.1 hour to the Labor Operation Time Allowance.
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 campaign number and five (5) digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or 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.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
Procedures covering this campaign are outlined in Section V of your dealership's 'GM Truck Claims Processing Manual' #P8919.
Dear GMC Truck Owner:
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 the rear bench seats in certain 1989-91 G-Vans fail to conform to the requirements of FMVSS 207, 'Seating Systems'. Should one of these vehicles become involved in an accident and there were passengers in the seat, the seat back frame could break and suddenly recline without supporting the loading specified in the Federal standard. This could increase the likelihood of occupant injury.
In order to comply with FMVSS 207, and to correct this condition, reinforcements will be added that run from the side of the seat back frame assembly to the seat cushion frame assembly to strengthen the seat back. This service will be performed for you at no charge.
Instructions for performing this service have been sent to your GMC dealer Please contact your dealer to arrange a service date. The labor time necessary to perform this correction will vary from 1/2 hour to 2 hours. Please ask your dealer how much additional time will be needed to process your vehicle.
Your dealer is best equipped to 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 service this condition on that date or within five days, we recommend you contact your nearest GMC Truck Zone Office by telephone. The Zone Office will assist you and your dealer in getting your vehicle corrected. The telephone numbers of the Zone Offices are listed in your Warranty and Owner Assistance infor- mation 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 1-800-424-9393 (Washington D.C. residents may call 366-0123).
The enclosed postage paid owner reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist in making the necessary correction to your vehicle in the shortest possible time. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please furnish us complete name and address of the person you sold or traded your vehicle to and return the card 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.
