CAMPAIGN:LOWER CONTROL ARM CRACKING
SUBJECT: LH AND RH LOWER CONTROL ARM CRACKING (INSTALL LOWER CONTROL ARM REINFORCEMENT KIT)
MODELS: 1992-1993 G3 VANS WITH C6W (9200 LB. GVWR)
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 GMC Truck Division Consumer Relations 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 a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in CERTAIN 1992 - 93 G3 vans with 9200 lb. GVWR. These vehicles may exhibit lower control arm cracking during the life of the vehicle. If the vehicle usage is predominately at or near the rated GVW, either of the lower control arms could eventually develop a crack in the flange on the end of the control arm near the balljoint pad. With continued use, the balljoint could separate from the control arm resulting in loss of steering control.
If this condition occurs, a loss of vehicle steering control can occur which could result in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
To prevent this condition from occurring, dealers are to install a reinforcement brace on each of the front lower control arms.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are CERTAIN 1992-93 G3 with C6W built within the following VIN breakpoints:
Model Plant From Through ----- ----- ---- ------- G3 L05 & C6W Scarborough SOP 1992 P4516232 G3 LL4/L19 & C6W Scarborough SOP 1992 P4516546 G3 L05 & C6W Flint SOP 1993 PF520331 G3 LL4/L19 & C6W Flint SOP 1993 PF518321
The specific vehicles involved in this campaign have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Computer Listings. These listings are furnished to all involved dealers with the campaign. Dealers should confirm eligibility through VISS (Vehicle Information Service System) or SERVICENET prior to beginning campaign repairs.
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 inspect and 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.
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
INITIAL POSITIONING OF THE REINFORCEMENT
1. Raise the front of vehicle and support it with suitable safety stands.
2. Clean the left and right lower control arm of all dirt, rust, grease, and undercoating from the spring pocket outboard to the flange surrounding the balljoint. Clean both the top and bottom areas of the control arms. This will insure good mechanical contact of the reinforcement and U-bolt to the control arm and balljoint flange. Use appropriate solvents and/or a wire brush as required. If the control arms and the reinforcement are not thoroughly cleaned, the U-bolt may "walk off" the bottom of the ball joint when it is tightened.
3. Center the reinforcement (Figure 1) between the flanges. The technician should do one side at a time. Gaps A & B (Figure 1) are to be equal within 0.060 inch (1.5 mm). Secure the reinforcement with a "C" clamp (Figure 2).
IMPORTANT: The reinforcement is installed CORRECTLY when the ball joint makes full contact with the reinforcement radius (Figure 1, Item 2), not just in the center section of the reinforcement.
The reinforcement is designed to fit ball joints with a bottom diameter of 2.60 inches (66 mm) or greater. The technician may find that the ball joint does not make full contact with the radius of the reinforcement when the reinforcement is centered correctly between the flanges.
Furthermore, It may be possible that an after market ball joint with the bottom diameter which is less than 2.60 inches (66 mm) has been installed. This does not allow for full contact with the radius of the reinforcement. When this condition happens, only a small section of the ball joint will come in contact with the reinforcement. If this occurs, make certain the balljoint is clean as described in step 1. Measure the bottom diameter of the balljoint with a caliper. If the measurement is LESS THAN 2.6 inches (66 mm) the ball joint must be replaced with a GM ball joint.
If an after market lower control arm has been installed, it will be necessary to remove the after market control arm, and install a GM designed control arm and perform the installation of the reinforcement per the campaign service procedure. Only order a control arm if the one on the vehicle is damaged or it is an aftermarket.
4. Install the U-bolt (Figures 1 & 3) and torque nuts to approximately 10 Nm (7 lb.ft.).
IMPORTANT: This step must be performed before proceeding to step 5.
NOTICE: When correctly installed, the U-bolt, will be about even with bottom of the balljoint. The U-bolt is NOT designed to fit into the galley of the control arm. On some vehicles the U-bolt may contact the flange edge of the control arm and interfere with the correct installation. If this happens, locate and mark the area where the U-bolt comes in contact with the control arm. You may remove only enough material (LIGHTLY grind) (Figure 2A) from the OUTER radius of the U-bolt to allow clearance between the U-bolt and the control arm (Figure 2, Item 7).
5. Drill a center hole with a 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) drill. The reinforcement (Figure 2) has been designed to be used as a drill template. When drilling, keep the drill as perpendicular as possible.
6. Install a 3/8-16 bolt (Figure 2, Item 6), nut (Figure 2, Item 3), and washer (Figure 2, Item 2) in the center hole and torque to approximately 18 Nm (13 lb. ft.).
7. Remove "C" clamp.
8. Drill the remaining holes in any sequence.
9. Disassemble the reinforcement (Figure 2, Item 1) and U-bolt (Figure 2, Item 7) from the control arm and remove all of the chips and burs from the lower control arm and reinforcement.
INSTALLATION OF REINFORCEMENT
1. Reinstall the reinforcement (Figure 3, Item 1) and U-bolt (Figure 3, Item 7). Hand start all of the bolts and nuts. Tighten the U-bolt nuts (Figure 3, Item 5) to approximately 22 Nm (16 lb. ft.) Make sure the U-bolt is ALIGNED with the bottom edge of the ball joint and is not cocked while continuing to torque.
NOTICE: If the rear most bolt head interferes with the bump stop bracket, install the bolt from the bottom of the control arm.
2. Torque the 3/8-16 bolts (Figure 3) to 37 - 43 Nm (27 - 32 lb. ft.). Torque the center bolt first and the remainder in any sequence.
3. Torque the U-bolt nuts (Figure 3) to 40 - 46 Nm (30 -34 lb. ft.).
4. Continue to the other side of vehicle and follow the same procedures that have been listed above.
5. Once both lower control arm reinforcements have been installed and torqued lower the vehicle.
6. 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).
Part Number Description Quantity ----------- ----------- -------- 15991641 Lower Control Arm 1 Reinforcement Kit
9766424 Ball Joint As Required
12546009 LH Lower As Required Control Arm Kit
12546010 RH Lower As Required Control Arm Kit
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Dealers should submit an accurately filled out Warranty Repair Order on each vehicle completed under this campaign.
Process Reimbursement: If the lower control arm(s) or balljoints have been replaced prior to this campaign, submit an accurate warranty repair order using the existing "V" labor operations shown below. The reinforcement kit must still be installed.
Labor Description *Time Trouble Operation Allowance Code Number --------- ------------ ----------- ------- V 9020 Install Reinforcement Kit & 1.4 hrs. 96 Measure L & R side Ball Joint
V9021 Install One Ball Joint and 2.4 hrs. 96 Install Reinforcement Kits
V9022 Install Two Ball Joints and 3.1 hrs. 96 Install Reinforcement Kits
* 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 "GMC Truck Warranty Claims Processing Manual" #P9119.
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 a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in CERTAIN 1992 - 93 G3 vans with 9200 lb. GVWR. These vehicles may exhibit lower control arm cracking during the life of the vehicle. If the vehicle usage is predominately at or near the rated GVW, either of the lower control arms could eventually develop a crack in the flange on the end of the control arm near the balljoint pad. With continued use, the balljoint could separate from the control arm resulting in loss of steering control.
If this condition occurs, a loss of vehicle steering control can occur which could result in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
To prevent this condition from occurring, dealers are to install a reinforcement brace on each of the front lower control arms. This service will be performed for you at no charge.
Instructions for performing this service have been sent to your GMC Truck dealer. Please contact your dealer to arrange a service date. The labor time necessary to perform this correction may take up to three hours. Please ask your dealer how much additional time will be needed to process your vehicle.
Your GMC Truck 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 GMC Truck Consumer Relations by telephone. Consumer Relations will assist you and your dealer in getting your vehicle corrected. The telephone number of the Consumer Relations office is listed in your Warranty and Owner Assistance Information Manual.
After contacting your dealer and GMC Truck Division, 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 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 product.
GMC TRUCK DIVISION GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
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.
