CAMPAIGN: REAR AXLE RH BRAKE PIPE FATIGUE
NOTE: GM OF CANADA CAMPAIGN 97068 IS LOCATED BELOW THE U.S. VERSION
PRODUCT SAFETY CAMPAIGN
SUBJECT: 97068 - REAR AXLE RH BRAKE PIPE FATIGUE
MODELS: 1998 CHEVROLET, GMC, AND OLDSMOBILE S/T UTILITIES AND 4WD T PICKUPS WITHOUT HIGH WIDER PERFORMANCE PACKAGE (RPO ZR2)
The Highway 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 customer has tendered it for repair. A failure to repair within sixty (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 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. As you will see in reading the attached copy of the divisional letter that is being sent to customers, the customers are being instructed to contact the appropriate Customer Assistance Center if their dealer does not remedy the condition within five (5) days of the mutually agreed upon service date. If the condition is not remedied within a reasonable time, they are instructed on how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
DEFECT INVOLVED
General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1998 S/T Utilities and T Pickup model vehicles equipped without the High Wider Performance package (ZR2). These vehicles may exhibit a fatigue fracture of the rear axle, right-hand brake pipe. If the pipe cracked and caused a slow brake fluid leak, the driver could experience a soft pedal. Braking capability due to a slow fluid leak would decrease only after the brake light was illuminated.
If the brake pipe broke, the driver would experience a sudden drop in the brake pedal, the instrument panel brake light would illuminate, and there would be a loss of rear brake performance. Partial loss of braking at a time when minimum stopping distance was required could result in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, dealers are to install a brake pipe bracket.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are certain 1998 S/T Utilities and T Pickups without the High Wider Performance package (ZR2) and built within the following VIN breakpoints:
PLANT YEAR DIVISION MODEL PLANT CODE FROM THROUGH
1998 Chevrolet S/T Linden "K" WK100001 WK104566 1998 Chevrolet S/T Moraine "2" W2100001 W2114224 1998 GMC S/T Linden "K" WK500001 WK500367 1998 GMC S/T Moraine "2" W2500001 W2502773 1998 Oldsmobile S/T Moraine "2" W2700001 W2700557
NOTICE: Dealers should confirm vehicle eligibility through VISS (Vehicle Information Service System) or ServiceNet (GMC only) prior to beginning campaign repairs. [Not all vehicles within the above breakpoints may be involved]
Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number. 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 campaign bulletin. The customer name and address data furnished will enable dealers to follow-up with customers involved in this campaign. Any dealer not receiving a computer listing with the campaign bulletin has no involved vehicles currently assigned.
These dealer listings may contain customer 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 the follow-up necessary to complete this campaign.
PARTS INFORMATION
Notice: An initial supply of parts required to complete this campaign will be pre-shipped to involved dealers of record. These preshipments will consist of the following:
P/N 88880013* - 100% of assigned vehicles - Week of 12/11/97
P/N 88880012 - 50% of assigned vehicles - Week of 12/15/97
Pre-shipped parts will be charged to dealer's open parts account.
* Part number 88880013 will be placed on order control and additional pieces, if required, will be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO) only with verified involved VIN.
Additional pieces of part number 88880012, if required, are to be obtained, after December 19, 1997, from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). Please refer to your "involved vehicles listing" prior to ordering requirements. Normal orders should be placed on a DRO = Daily Replenishment Order. An emergency requirement should be ordered on a CSO = Customer Special Order.
Part Quantity/ Number Description Vehicle
88880012 Brake Pipe Bracket Kit (7-5/8" Axle) 1 88880013 Brake Pipe Bracket Kit (8-5/8" Axle) 1
CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION
Customers will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by General Motors (see copy of typical customer letter included with this bulletin - actual divisional letter may vary slightly).
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 customers take possession of these vehicles.
Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this campaign 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 appropriate divisional customer letter accompanying this bulletin. Campaign 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 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.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
1. Raise vehicle and support with safety stands.
2. Determine whether the truck is equipped with a 7-5/8" or a 8-5/8" axle by referring to Figure 1.
3. Remove the appropriate rear axle cover bolt. Refer to Figure 2 for 7-5/8" axles or Figure 3 for 8-5/8" axles for the bolt location and proper bracket orientation.
4. Install the new bracket using the rear axle cover bolt removed in Step 3. Tighten the bolt to 27 Nm (20 ft. lbs.).
5. Position the bracket clip around the brake pipe (see appropriate Figure).
6. Install and tighten the bracket clip bolt to 10 Nm (88 in. lbs.).
7. Lower the vehicle.
8. Install the GM Campaign Identification Label.
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 the five (5) digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or a 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 by the customer for periodic servicing. When installing the Campaign Identification Label, be sure to pull the tab to allow adhesion of the clear protective covering. Additional Campaign Identification Labels can be obtained from VISPAC Incorporated by calling 1-800-269-5100 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 m. EST). Ask for Item Number S-1015 when ordering.
Apply the "Campaign Identification Label" only on a clean, dry surface.
CLAIM INFORMATION
Submit a Product Campaign Claim with the information indicated below:
* REPAIR PART FAILED PARTS LABOR LABOR PERFORMED COUNT PART NO. ALLOW CC-FC 0P HOURS
Install Brake Pipe 1 --- ** MA-96 V0115 0.3 Bracket Kit
* For Campaign Administrative Allowance, add 0.1 hours to the "Labor Hours".
** The "Parts Allowance" should be the sum total of the current GMSPO Dealer Net price plus 40% for the brake pipe bracket kit needed to complete the repair.
Refer to the General Motors Corporation Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Campaign Claim Submission.
97068-S
(Sample Of Notification Used)
December, 1997
Dear Chevrolet/Oldsmobile/GMC Customer:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Reason For This Recall: General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1998 S/T Utilities and T Pickup model vehicles equipped without the High Wider Performance package (ZR2). These vehicles may exhibit a fatigue fracture of the rear axle, right-hand brake pipe. If the pipe cracked and caused a slow brake fluid leak, the driver could experience a soft pedal. Braking capability due to a slow fluid leak would decrease only after the brake light was illuminated. If the brake pipe broke, the driver would experience a sudden drop in the brake pedal, the instrument panel brake light would illuminate, and there would be a loss of rear brake performance. Partial loss of braking at a time when minimum stopping distance was required could result in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
What Will Be Done: To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, your GM dealer will install a brake pipe bracket. This service will be performed for you at no charge.
How Long Will The Repair Take? The length of time required to perform this service correction is approximately 20 minutes. Additional time may be required to schedule and process your vehicle. If your dealer has a large number of vehicles awaiting service, this additional time may be significant. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed.
Contacting Your Dealer: 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 GM dealer. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much time will be needed to schedule, process and repair your vehicle. 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 listed number below:
Deaf, Hearing Impaired Division Number or Speech Impaired *
Chevrolet 1-800-222-1020 1-800-833-2438 GMC 1-800-462-8782 1-800-462-8583 Oldsmobile 1-800-442-6537 1-800-833-6537
* Utilizes Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf/Text Telephones (TDD/TTY)
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, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20590 or call 1-800-424-9393 (Washington D.C. residents use 202-366-0123).
Customer Reply Card: The enclosed 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 postage paid reply card and returning it 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.
Chevrolet/Oldsmobile/Pontiac-GMC Division GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
Enclosure
** CANADIAN VERSION **
PRODUCT SAFETY CAMPAIGN
SUBJECT: CAMPAIGN 97068 - REAR AXLE RH BRAKE PIPE FATIGUE
MODELS: 1998 CHEVROLET, GMC, AND OLDSMOBILE S/T UTILITIES AND 4WD 'T' PICKUPS WITHOUT HIGH WIDER PERFORMANCE PACKAGE (RPO ZR2)
DEFECT INVOLVED
General Motors of Canada Limited has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1998 S/T Utilities and 'T' Pickup model vehicles equipped without the High Wider Performance package (ZR2). These vehicles may exhibit a fatigue fracture of the rear axle, right-hand brake pipe. If the pipe cracked and caused a slow brake fluid leak, the driver could experience a soft pedal. Braking capability due to a slow fluid leak would decrease only after the brake light was illuminated. If the brake pipe broke, the driver would experience a sudden drop in the brake pedal, the instrument panel brake light would illuminate, and there would be a loss of rear brake performance. Partial loss of braking at a time when minimum stopping distance was required could result in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, dealers are to install a brake pipe bracket.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are certain 1998 S/T Utilities and 'T' Pickups without the High Wider Performance package (ZR2) and built within the following VIN breakpoints: PLANT YEAR DIVISION MODEL PLANT CODE FROM THROUGH
1998 Chevrolet S/T Linden "K" WK100001 WK104566 1998 Chevrolet S/T Moraine "2" W2100001 W2114224 1998 GMC S/T Linden "K" WK500001 WK500367 1998 GMC S/T Moraine "2" W2500001 W2502773 1998 Oldsmobile S/T Moraine "2" W2700001 W2700557
NOTE: PLEASE CHECK DCS SCREEN 445 OR YOUR V.I.N. LISTING BEFORE PERFORMING CAMPAIGN TO ENSURE THAT THE VEHICLE IS AFFECTED. ONLY AFFECTED VIN'S WILL BE PAID.
Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number. 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 campaign bulletin. The customer name and address data furnished will enable dealers to follow-up with customers involved in this campaign. Any dealer not receiving a computer listing with the campaign bulletin has no involved vehicles currently assigned.
These dealer listings may contain customer names and addresses obtained from the Inter-Provincial Records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any other purpose is a violation of provincial laws. Accordingly, you are urged to limit the use of this listing to the follow-up necessary to complete this campaign.
PARTS INFORMATION
Notice: An initial supply of parts required to complete this campaign will be pre-shipped to involved dealers of record. This pre-shipment will occur the week of December 15, 1997, and will consist of the following:
P/N 88880012 - 25% of assigned vehicles
P/N 88880013 - Part for VIN 1GNCT18W3WK102934 (Will be shipped to Dealer 81120).
Parts received for a recently transferred vehicle should be forwarded by the original dealer (with a phone call) to the dealer that received the transferred vehicle. Pre-shipped parts will be charged to dealer's open parts account.
Additional parts, if required, are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). Please refer to your "involved vehicles listing" prior to ordering requirements.
Part Number Description Quantity/Vehicle
88880012 Brake Pipe Bracket Kit (7-5/8" Axle) 1
88880013 Brake Pipe Bracket Kit (8-5/8" Axle) 1 (for VIN 1GNCT18W3WK102934)
CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION
All customers of record at the time of campaign release are shown on the attached computer listing and have been notified by first class mail from General Motors (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin).
DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY
All unsold new vehicles in dealer's possession and subject to this campaign must be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this campaign bulletin before customers take possession of these vehicles.
Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this campaign 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 appropriate customer letter accompanying 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, you must take the steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
1. Raise vehicle and support with safety stands.
2. Determine whether the truck is equipped with a 7-5/8" or an 8-5/8" axle by referring to Figure 1.
3. Remove the appropriate rear axle cover bolt. Refer to Figure 2 for 7-5/8" axles or Figure 3 for 8-5/8" axles for the bolt location and proper bracket orientation.
4. Install the new bracket using the rear axle cover bolt removed in Step 3. Tighten the bolt to 27 N-m (20 R. lbs.).
5. Position the bracket clip around the brake pipe (see appropriate Figure).
6. Install and tighten the bracket clip bolt to 10 N-m (88 in. lbs.).
7. Lower the vehicle.
8. Install Campaign Identification Label.
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 the five (5) digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or a 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 by the customer for periodic servicing. Additional Campaign Identification Labels can be obtained from DGN by calfing 1-800-668-5539 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST). Ask for Item Number GMIP 91 when ordering.
Apply the "Campaign Identification Label" only on a clean, dry surface.
CLAIM INFORMATION
Submit a Product Campaign Claim with the information indicated below:
* REPAIR PERFORMED PART FAILED PARTS LABOUR LABOUR COUNT PART NO. ALLOW CC-FC 0P HOURS
Install Brake Pipe 1 --- ** MA-96 V0115 0.3 Bracket Kit
* For Campaign Administrative Allowance, add 0.1 hours to the "Labour Hours".
** The "Parts Allowance" should be the sum total of the current GMSPO Dealer Net price plus 40% for the brake pipe bracket kit needed to complete the repair.
Refer to the General Motors Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Campaign Claim Submission.
December 1997
Dear General Motors Customer:
General Motors of Canada Limited has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1998 S/T Utilities and 'T' Pickup model vehicles equipped without the High Wider Performance package. These vehicles may exhibit a fatigue fracture of the rear axle, right-hand brake pipe. If the pipe cracked and caused a slow brake fluid leak, the driver could experience a soft pedal. Braking capability due to a slow fluid leak would decrease only after the brake light was illuminated. If the brake pipe broke, the driver would experience a sudden drop in the brake pedal, the instrument panel brake light would illuminate, and there would be a loss of rear brake performance. Partial loss of braking at a time when minimum stopping distance was required could result in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, your GM dealer will install a brake pipe bracket.
This service will be provided for you at no charge.
Please contact your GM dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date.
If parts are required, ask your dealer for details regarding their availability. If parts are not in stock, they can be ordered before scheduling your service date.
This letter identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this letter to your dealer will assist their Service personnel in completing the necessary correction to your vehicle in the shortest possible time.
We are sorry to cause you this inconvenience; however, we have taken this action in the interest of your continued satisfaction with our products.
Customer Support Department General Motors of Canada Limited
97068
/il
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.
