Product Safety - Rear License Plate Lamp Socket Corrosion

General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2003 model year Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which water may enter and corrode the rear license plate lamp socket. If the lamp socket were to corrode, the rear license plate lamp may operate intermittently or not at all, and the left rear tail lamp may become inoperative. The temperature of the license plate lamp socket could increase to the point that it may begin to soften and melt. If the socket assembly were to reach the point of melting, the occupants of the vehicle may notice an odor and smoke at the rear doors of the vehicle. If this odor and smoke were ignored, the plastic could ignite and a fire could occur.

To prevent this condition from occurring, dealers are to install a new sealed rear license plate lamp socket assembly.

Involved are certain 2003 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles built within these VIN breakpoints:

Important: Dealers should confirm vehicle eligibility through GMVIS (GM Vehicle Inquiry System) or GM Access Screen (Canada only) or DCS Screen 445 (IPC only) before beginning recall repairs. [Not all vehicles within the above breakpoints may be involved.]

Computer listings containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data have been prepared, and are being furnished to involved dealers with the recall bulletin. The customer name and address data furnished will enable dealers to follow-up with customers involved in this recall. Any dealer not receiving a computer listing with the recall bulletin has no involved vehicles currently assigned.

These dealer listings may contain customer names and addresses obtained from Motor Vehicle Registration Records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any other purpose is a violation of law in several states/provinces/countries. Accordingly, you are urged to limit the use of this listing to the follow-up necessary to complete this recall.

Parts Pre-Ship Information - For US and Canada

Important: An initial supply of rear license plate lamp sockets required to complete this program will be pre-shipped to involved dealers of record. This pre-shipment is scheduled to begin the week of July 7, 2003.

Additional parts, if required, are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations. Please refer to your "involved vehicles listing" before ordering parts. Normal orders should be placed on a DRO=Daily Replenishment Order. In an emergency situation, parts should be ordered on a CSO=Customer Special Order.

The following procedure provides instructions for installing a new sealed license plate lamp socket assembly.

Caution: The headlamps must be in the OFF position when performing this procedure.

1. Remove the two 7 mm hex head screws (4) that attach the license plate lamp (3) to the rear door license plate housing assembly.

Important: There should be sufficient harness length to allow for removal of the lamp assembly in the next step.

2. Pull the lamp assembly down and out of the rear door assembly.
3. Remove the lamp socket (2) from the lamp (3).

Important: When cutting off the lamp socket in the next step, cut the wires off as close to the socket as possible.

4. Using wire cutters, cut the lamp socket off of the two wires. Discard the lamp socket and bulb.
5. Using wire strippers, strip off approximately 6 mm (1/4 in) of insulation from the end of each wire.

Important: In the next step you will be cutting off approximately 250 mm (10 in) of wire from each lead.

6. Using wire cutters, shorten both wire leads on the NEW socket to a length of approximately 175 mm (7 in).
7. Using wire strippers, strip off approximately 6 mm (1/4 in) of insulation from the end of each wire.
8. Using an appropriate crimping tool, install one of the butt connectors included with the NEW socket, on each of the two wires.
9. Connect one wire on the vehicle wiring harness to one of the butt connectors that you just installed on the new socket. Repeat this step with the remaining wire and butt connector.
10. Using an appropriate tool, heat shrink the two butt connectors to seal the connection.
11. Install a new license plate bulb.
12. Turn the headlamps ON and verify that the license plate lamp is illuminated.
13. Turn the headlamps OFF.
14. Apply electrical tape on the electrical connectors and harness.
15. Inspect, and if necessary, clean the inside of the lamp assembly.
16. Connect the socket to the lamp assembly.
17. Install the lamp assembly to the door.

Tighten
Tighten to 2.5 N·m (22 lb in).

18. Install the GM Recall Identification Label.

Place a Recall Identification Label on each vehicle corrected in accordance with the instructions outlined in this Product Recall Bulletin. Each label provides a space to include the recall number and the five (5) digit dealer code of the dealer performing the recall service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or a ball point pen.

Put the Recall Identification Label on a clean and dry surface of the radiator core support in an area that will be visible to people servicing the vehicle. When installing the Recall Identification Label, be sure to pull the tab to allow the adhesion of the clear protective covering. Additional Recall Identification Labels for US dealers can be obtained from Dealer Support Materials by either ordering on the web from DWD Store, gm-dealerworld.com, or calling 1-866-700-0001 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST). Ask for Item Number S-1015 when ordering.

Additional Recall Identification Labels for IPC dealers can be obtained from your Regional Marketing Office.

Place a Recall Identification Label on each vehicle corrected in accordance with the instructions outlined in this Product Recall Bulletin. Each label provides a space to include the recall number and the five (5) digit dealer code of the dealer performing the recall service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or a ball point pen. Put the Recall Identification Label on a clean and dry surface of the radiator core support in an area that will be visible to people servicing the vehicle. Additional Recall Identification Labels for Canadian dealers can be obtained from DGN by calling 1-800-668-5539 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST). Ask for Item Number GMP 91 when ordering.

The General Motors Courtesy Transportation program is intended to minimize customer inconvenience when a vehicle requires a repair that is covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. The availability of courtesy transportation to customers whose vehicles are within the warranty coverage period and involved in a product recall is very important in maintaining customer satisfaction. Dealers are to ensure that these customers understand that shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation is available and will be provided at no charge. Dealers should refer to the General Motors Service Policies and Procedures Manual for Courtesy Transportation guidelines.

Submit a Product Recall Claim with the information indicated below:

Refer to the General Motors WINS Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Recall Claim Submission.

Customers will be notified of this recall on their vehicles by General Motors (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin).

Letters will be sent to known owners of record located within areas covered by the US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. For owners outside these areas, dealers should notify customers using the attached sample letter.

The US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides that each vehicle which is subject to a recall of this type must be adequately repaired within a reasonable time after the customer has tendered it for repair. A failure to repair within sixty 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 customer 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 remedies, every effort must be made to promptly schedule an appointment with each customer and to repair their vehicle as soon as possible. In the recall notification letters, customers are told how to contact the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if the recall is not completed within a reasonable time.

All unsold new vehicles in dealers' possession and subject to this recall MUST be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this recall bulletin BEFORE customers take possession of these vehicles.

Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this recall at no charge to customers, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward.

Customers who have recently purchased vehicles sold from your vehicle inventory, and for which there is no customer information indicated on the dealer listing, are to be contacted by the dealer. Arrangements are to be made to make the required correction according to the instructions contained in this bulletin. This could be done by mailing to such customers a copy of the customer letter accompanying this bulletin. Recall follow-up cards should not be used for this purpose, since the customer may not as yet have received the notification letter.

In summary, whenever a vehicle subject to this recall enters your vehicle inventory, or is in your dealership for service in the future, please take the steps necessary to be sure the recall correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.

Dear General Motors Customer:

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

General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2003 model year Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which water may enter and corrode the rear license plate lamp socket. If the lamp socket were to corrode, the rear license plate lamp may operate intermittently or not at all, and the left rear tail lamp may become inoperative. The temperature of the license plate lamp socket could increase to the point that it may begin to soften and melt. If the socket assembly were to reach the point of melting, the occupants of the vehicle may notice an odor and smoke at the rear doors of the vehicle. If this odor and smoke were ignored, the plastic could ignite and a fire could occur.

To prevent this condition from occurring, your GM dealer will install a new sealed rear license plate lamp socket assembly. This service will be performed for you at no charge .

This service correction will take approximately 20 minutes. However, due to service scheduling requirements, your dealer may need your vehicle for a longer period of time.

Please contact your GM dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date. Parts are available and instructions for making this correction have been sent to your dealer.

Your GM dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide services to correct your vehicle as promptly as possible. Should your dealer be unable to schedule a service date within a reasonable time, you should contact the appropriate Customer Assistance Center at the number listed below:

If, after contacting the appropriate customer assistance center, 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 SW, Washington, DC 20590 or call 1-888-327-4236.

The attached customer reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist in making the necessary correction in the shortest possible time. If you no longer own this vehicle, please let us know by completing the attached and mailing it in the postage paid envelope.

If your vehicle is within the New Vehicle Limited Warranty your dealer may provide you with shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation while your vehicle is at the dealership for this repair. Please refer to your Owner's Manual and your dealer for details on Courtesy Transportation.

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 Corporation

Enclosure