Product Safety - Safety Belt Buckle Inoperative

Additional population has been added to this recall. Please discard all copies of bulletin 05113B, issued June 2006.

General Motors has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2006 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. Some of these vehicles have safety belt buckles that may not latch or unlatch. If a safety belt buckle does not latch, that seating position should not be used and another seating position should be used if possible. If a safety belt buckle does not unlatch, it may require cutting of the belt to release the occupant. Occupants in a vehicle should always wear a safety belt or an increased risk to personal injury can occur in the event of a vehicle crash.

Dealers are to inspect the safety belt buckles and replace either the buckle cover or the entire buckle assembly.

Involved are certain 2003-2006 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles built within these VIN breakpoints:

Important: Dealers should confirm vehicle eligibility through GMVIS (GM Vehicle Inquiry System) prior to beginning recall repairs. [Not all vehicles within the above breakpoints may be involved.]

For US and Canada: For dealers with involved vehicles, a Campaign Initiation Detail Report (CIDR) containing the complete vehicle identification number, customer name and address data has been prepared and will be loaded to the GM DealerWorld (US) Recall Information, GMinfoNet (Canada) Recall Reports. Dealers will not have a report available if they have no involved vehicles currently assigned.

For Export: For dealers with involved vehicles, a Campaign Initiation Detail Report containing the complete vehicle identification number, customer name and address data has been prepared, and is being furnished to involved dealers. Dealers will not receive a report with the recall bulletin if they have no involved vehicles currently assigned.

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

Parts required to complete this recall are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). 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.

Seat Belt Buckle Inspection Procedure

Important: This procedure is to be performed on all seat belts (front and rear) without a pre-tensioner. Seat belts with a pre-tensioner are not involved.

Important: Front seat belts with a pre-tensioner are not involved in this recall. The remaining seat belts in the vehicle must be inspected.

1. Install the seat belt latch into the buckle.
2. Check for proper latching and unlatching.

•	If the seat belt buckle will not latch or unlatch, the buckle assembly requires replacement.

•	If the seat belt buckle latches and unlatches correctly, the seat belt buckle cover requires replacement.

3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for all remaining non-pre-tensioner seat belts in the vehicle, including rear seats.

Seat Belt Buckle Assembly Replacement

Refer to the appropriate SI Document for replacement instructions

Seat Belt Buckle Cover Replacement

1. On front seats, lift the buckle sleeve at the bottom to expose the bolt.
2. On front seats, remove the seat belt buckle retaining bolt from the seat.
3. On front seats, disconnect the buckle sensor wire.
4. On front seats, slide the buckle sleeve down to expose the buckle.
5. Insert the latch into the buckle and leave it inserted throughout the cover replacement procedure.

Buckle Shown with Cover Removed for Clarity

All customer requests for reimbursement for previous repairs for the recall condition will be handled by the Customer Assistance Center, not by dealers.

A General Motors Customer Reimbursement Procedure and Claim Form is included with the customer letter.

Important: (For GM US Only) Refer to the GM Service Policies and Procedures Manual, section 6.1.12, for specific procedures regarding customer reimbursement and the form.

Customer requests for reimbursement of previously paid repairs to correct the recall condition are to be submitted to the dealer by April 30, 2009.

All reasonable customer paid receipts should be considered for reimbursement. The amount to be reimbursed will be limited to the amount the repair would have cost if completed by an authorized General Motors dealer.

When a customer requests reimbursement, they must provide the following:

Claims for customer reimbursement on previously paid repairs are to be submitted as required by WINS.

Important: Refer to the GM Service Policies and Procedures Manual, section 1.6.2, for specific procedures regarding customer reimbursement verification.

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.

General Motors will notify customers of this recall on their vehicle (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 that 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. A copy of the customer letter is provided in this bulletin for your use in contacting customers. 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, you must 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 that relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2003-2006 model year Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. As a result, GM is conducting a safety recall. We apologize for this inconvenience. However, we have taken this action for your safety and continued satisfaction with our products.

Some of these vehicles have safety belt buckles that may not latch or unlatch. If a safety belt buckle does not latch, that seating position should not be used and another seating position should be used if possible. If a safety belt buckle does not unlatch, it may require cutting of the belt to release the occupant. Occupants in a vehicle should always wear a safety belt or an increased risk to personal injury can occur in the event of a vehicle crash.

Your GM dealer will inspect the safety belt buckles and replace either the buckle cover or the entire buckle assembly. This service will be performed for you at no charge . It is likely that your dealer will need your vehicle longer than the actual service correction time of approximately 15 to 50 minutes because of service scheduling requirements.

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.

You should contact your GM dealer to arrange a service appointment as soon as possible. Bring the enclosed customer reply form with you when you visit your dealer. The form identifies the repairs required. If you no longer own this vehicle, please let us know by completing the form and mailing it back to us.

The enclosed form explains what reimbursement is available and how to request reimbursement if you have paid for repairs for the recall condition.

If you have questions or concerns that your dealer is unable to resolve, please contact the appropriate Customer Assistance Center at the number listed below. More information about this recall can be found at the Owner Center at MyGMLink, http://www.gm.com/recall.

If after contacting your dealer and the Customer Assistance Center, you are still not satisfied 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 St., SW, Washington DC 20590, or call the toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1.888.327.4236 (TTY 1.800.424.9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Federal regulation requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days.

Scott Lawson

General Director,

Customer and Relationship Services

Enclosure

05113