| Subject: | Straight Time Reimbursement Process |
| 2007 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT |
| 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe |
| 2007 GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL |
| 2007 Saturn Aura, Outlook, Sky (Canada Only) |
This bulletin is being revised to update the subject and include new models and model years to the straight time program as well as provide additional information on the Straight Time Warranty Reimbursement Process. Please discard Corporate Bulletin Number 01-00-89-016
(Section 00 - General Information).
Important: Previous vehicles that were on the Straight Time Pilot Program were the Pontiac Vibe, Torrent and G6; Chevrolet and GMC Medium Duty C4500-C8500 Series and Colorado/Canyon; Cadillac CTS, XLR and SRX; Chevrolet Malibu/Maxx,
Equinox and Cobalt; and HUMMER H2. These vehicles now have published labor times within the Labor Time Guide and are no longer part of the program.
General Motors is continuing their commitment to the Straight Time Warranty Reimbursement Process. This process is no longer a pilot and will be used for selected products or new content for the foreseeable future. Several items have been clarified to
enable technicians to better understand the establishment of averaged labor times on future products. In additional, General Motors wants to clarify the criteria used to determine which vehicles will be considered straight time vehicles during their launch period.
Straight Time Process Overview
Upon the launch of a selected straight time vehicle, the entire list of labor operations will be reflected in the LTG (Labor Time Guide) with ‘ST’ (Straight Time). Times will be included for select operations as described below. All dealership
personnel should follow the guidelines outlined in this bulletin to ensure proper documentation of the technician’s time. Approximately, four months after the launch of a straight time vehicle GM will begin time studies on the frequently used labor operations.
These labor times will be populated into the LTG upon completion, approximately 6 to 8 months after the launch of the vehicle. The low frequency labor operations will be averaged using the process listed below and published in the LTG upon completion.
- GM receives a minimum of 25 warranty claims for any given low frequency labor operation.
- The highest 2 and lowest 2 times will be eliminated and the total number of claims received will be averaged.
- The next LTG release will reflect the averaged time for that given labor operation.
The key elements of the program include the following:
| • | Straight time will be used for all labor operations for several months after a new vehicle launch. Straight time is the actual time a technician spends repairing a vehicle. The primary exceptions will be for Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI), paint
repairs, wiring, etc. Guidelines for what should be included are described later in this bulletin. |
| • | The most frequently used labor operations, approximately 20% of the total labor operations, will be studied using the current labor time practices within six months after vehicles are initially shipped to dealers. GM will follow the published service
procedure in SI and use production vehicles when establishing these times. |
| • | The labor operations that are rarely used, approximately 80%, will continue to use straight time until GM receives approximately 25 warranty claims. After these claims are paid, the straight time claims submitted will be statistically averaged
and published time in the next Labor Time Guide update. |
| • | Based on dealer requests for review and inaccurate data being submitted, GM reserves the right to perform a time study on any labor operation with a published average time and adjust as appropriate. The published service procedure in SI and regular
labor time development guidelines will be followed to perform these reviews. |
Straight Time - Dealer Guidelines
The following should be included in straight time:
| • | Diagnosis time if the labor operation displays 0.0-0.3 add time in the LTG |
| • | Time to use SI (Service Information) |
| • | Actual repair or part replacement time |
| • | Time to reprogram/re-initialize, as required |
| • | Time to obtain parts from parts department |
| • | Time to obtain and use essential tools |
| • | Repair verification as indicated in the service procedure |
| • | Time to move the vehicle in and out of the technician's stall |
| • | Time for disposal of the replaced part |
The following should NOT be included in straight time:
| • | Time to define and document customer concerns, including customer road test |
| • | Post repair quality checks, including road tests, not performed by technician |
| • | Time for parts department to obtain part from SPO, another dealer or a parts supplier |
| • | Time to review completed repairs with the customer |
| • | Technician inefficiency, excessive personal time, time waiting for another repair, etc. |
| • | Tasks deemed service management responsibility per the GM Service Policies and Procedures Manual |
Straight Time Documentation
| • | Technician must obtain a separate clock time for each repair, including the beginning and end time for the repair. Multiple repairs on a vehicle will require separate clock times for each repair. |
| • | Documentation of time and technician number must be recorded on the hard copy of the repair order. |
| • | Unlike straight time use on other platforms, service management authorization will not be required before the repair is started. Service management will be expected to manage their technician's use of straight time to ensure they are following
the straight time guidelines. |
Other Labor Hours (OLH) Usage
OLH should not be used along with straight time unless an unusual repair, such as a broken bolt, is encountered. Normal service and diagnosis time, as noted above, should be included in straight time. Removal of accessories to gain access to the actual
component being replaced or repaired should be submitted as OLH. Time to repair damage caused by a warranted component should be submitted as OLH.
Claim Submission
| • | The labor operation number submitted should match the repair correction or the labor operation that is the closest match to the correction. |
| • | Straight time hours should be submitted in the regular labor hour field. Do not submit as other labor hours (OLH). |
| • | Each labor operation will have a labor time ceiling which should be adequate to complete the repair. U.S. Dealers:
If the ceiling is exceeded, the claim will require wholesale approval. Inquiries concerning the ceiling
for a particular labor operation should not be made to the DBC (Dealer Business Center). The excessive amount of time needed that causes a labor operation to exceed the ceiling will need to be discussed with the AVM (Area Service Manager). Canadian Dealers:
If the ceiling is exceeded, the claim will need to be discussed with the WINS Assistance Centre. |
Vehicles Involved
Some new vehicles will not be launched under this straight time process. If a vehicle shares a platform with a previously launched "Straight Time" vehicle, GM reserves the right to align the labor operation times up with those previously averaged
or previously time studied. Example: Currently the 2006 Pontiac Solstice is on the straight time program. The 2007 Saturn Sky, which is built on the same platform, will share times with this vehicle.
