CAMPAIGN: STEEL DISC WHEEL CRACKS - (REPLACE ALL WHEELS)
SUBJECT: STEEL DISC WHEEL CRACKS
MODELS: 1985-92 P3 42 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 6.2L DIESEL ENGINES (LL4) I-BEAM FRONT AXLES (FS3), DISC/DRUM POWER BRAKES (JB8) AND RATED FROM 11,000# TO 11,500# GVW (C7E/C7G/9E6)
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 a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1985-92 P3-42 Commercial Chassis Vehicles equipped with 6.2L diesel engines (LL4), I-Beam front axles (FS3), disc/drum power brakes (JB8) and rated from 11,000# to 11,500# GVW (C7E/C7G/9E6). The subject vehicles may exhibit cracking in the 19.5 x 6 front steel wheel disc. This cracking is circumferential, outside the bolt mounting circle, at or just underneath the clamp ring, and approximates the hub diameter. Additionally, since periodic tire rotations are a common and recommended practice, the rear wheels will also be addressed in the interest of customer satisfaction. As the cracking progresses, it tends to become more visible and is likely to be noticed during routine maintenance. If the cracking should continue to go unnoticed until the center portion of the disc is completely cracked, the wheel will still be mechanically held between the clamp ring and the hub. Eventually if the warnings are ignored, the rim portion of the wheel could separate inboard and a vehicle crash could occur.
To prevent this condition from occurring, dealers are to replace all six (seven if there is also a spare) of the existing wheels with newly designed wheels.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are all 1985-92 P3--42 Commercial Chassis Vehicles equipped with 6.2L diesel engines (LL4), I-Beam front axles (FS3), disc/drum power brakes (JB8) and rated from 11,000# to 11,500# GVW (C7E/C7G/9E6) built within the following VIN breakpoints:
Model Years From Through ----- ------ ----- ------- P3 42 1985-92 SOP EOP
Vehicle identification Number Computer Listings are furnished to all involved dealers with the campaign bulletin.
DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY
All unsold new vehicles in dealers' possession and subject to this campaign MUST be held and inspected/repaired per the SERVICE PROCEDURE of this campaign bulletin BEFORE owners take possession of these vehicles.
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.
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 the instructions contained in this bulletin.
In summary, whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign enters your vehicle inventory, or is in your dealership for service in the future, please take the steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.
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
1. For wheel replacement, follow the appropriate instructions provided in Section 3E of your service manual.
2. 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 Description Qty Number ------ ------------- ---- 15953256 Wheel Assembly/White Wheels 6 With Spare 7 or 15953257 Wheel Assembly/Black Wheels 6 With Spare 7
273487 Valve Stem As Required
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Dealers should submit an accurately filled out Warranty Repair Order on each vehicle completed under this campaign.
Labor *Time Trouble Operation Description Allow. Code Number --------- ------------ -------- -------- V7640 Replace 6 Wheels - Includes Balance of 3.1 hrs. 96 Assembly
V7641 **Replace 7 Wheels - Includes Balance of 3.6 hrs. 96 Assembly
Note: Time allowances include the time to replace the valve stem.
* For dealer to receive Administrative Time Allowance associated with this campaign, add 0.1 hour to the Labor Operation Time Allowance.
** Vehicles with spare wheel option SNF or SNR only.
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" #P9119.
COPY OF LETTER TO OWNERS
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 1985-92 P3 - 42 Commercial Chassis Vehicles equipped with 6.2L diesel engines (LL4), I-Beam front axles (FS3), disc/drum power brakes (JB8) and rated from 11,000# to 11,500# GVW (C7E/C7G/9E6). The subject vehicles may exhibit cracking in the 19.5 x 6 front steel wheel disc. This cracking is circumferential, outside the bolt mounting circle, or just underneath the clamp ring, and approximates the hub diameter. Additionally, since periodic tire rotations are a common and recommended practice, the rear wheels will also be addressed in the interest of customer satisfaction. If the cracking should continue to go unnoticed until the center portion of the disc is completely cracked, the wheel will still be mechanically held between the clamp ring and the hub. Eventually if the warnings are ignored, the rim portion of the wheel could separate inboard and a vehicle crash could occur.
To prevent this condition from occurring, dealers are to replace all six (seven if there is also a spare) of the existing wheels with newly redesigned wheels. This service will be completed 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 3-1/2 hours to 4 hours. Please ask your dealer how much additional time will be needed to process your vehicle.
Your GMC 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 Off ice 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 Information 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 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 92Cl8 Enclosure
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.
