CAMPAIGN: SEATBELT LATCH PLATE MAY NOT ENGAGE OR RELEASE

Subject: PRODUCT SAFETY CAMPAIGN - 91-C-02 SEAT BELT LATCHPLATES

MODELS AFFECTED: 1991 PONTIAC FIREBIRD

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 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 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 an appointment with each owner and to repair their vehicle as soon as possible. As you will see in reading the attached copy of the letter that is being sent to owners, the owners are being instructed to contact the Pontiac 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 determined that certain 1991 Pontiac Firebird model vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies." The seat belt latchplates in these vehicles may not engage or release from the buckle assemblies because the latchplate is too wide. In the event of a vehicle crash, unbelted or improperly belted occupants are more at risk of injury than those using seat belts properly.

To prevent this potential condition, we are asking owners to perform an inspection procedure to determine if their vehicle has the described condition, or have a dealer perform the inspection. If an owner discovers this latchplate condition exists, dealers are to replace the suspect retractor side safety belt assemblies (which include latchplates) at no charge to the owner.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

Involved are certain 1991 Pontiac Firebird model vehicles built within the following VIN breakpoints:

Up To And Year Plant Beginning Including ---- ---------- ------------ ----------- 1991 Van Nuys ML220154 ML235207

Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number Computer Listings. Computer listings contain the complete Vehicle Identifica- tion Number, owner name and address data, and are furnished to the involved dealers with the campaign bulletin. Owner name and address data furnished will enable dealers to follow-up with owners involved in this campaign.

These listings 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 the follow-up necessary to complete this campaign. Any dealer not receiving a computer listing with the campaign bulletin has no involved vehicles currently assigned.

OWNER NOTIFICATION

Owners will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by Pontiac Division (see copy of Owner Letter included with this bulletin).

DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY

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.

Whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign is taken into your new or used vehicle inventory, or it is in your dealership for service in the future, you should take the steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before reselling or releasing the vehicle.

Owners of vehicles recently sold from your new vehicle inventory are to be contacted by the dealer, and arrangements made to make the required modifica- tion according to instructions contained in this bulletin.

This bulletin is notice to you that the new motor vehicles included in this campaign may not comply with the standard identified above. Under Section 108 of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, it is illegal for a dealer to sell a new motor vehicle which the dealer knows does not comply with an applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. As a consequence, if you sell any of these motor vehicles without first performing the campaign correction, your dealership may be subject to a civil penalty up to $1,000 for each such sale.

PARTS INFORMATION

Parts required to complete this campaign are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operation (GMSPO). To ensure that these parts are obtained as soon as possible, they should be ordered from GMSPO on a C.I.O. order with no special instruction code, but on advise code (2).

NOTICE: Due to the small number of vehicles involved in this campaign, parts should only be ordered after inspection has verified that this condition exists on an involved vehicle. Please do not order "stock" parts of these assemblies.

Part Quantity Description Number Per Vehicle ------------------------------------ -------- --------------- Belt Assembly - Black - Passenger 12500488 (1) As Required Belt Assembly - Black - Driver 12500487 (1) As Required Belt Assembly - Black - Right Rear 12503618 (1) As Required Belt Assembly - Black - Left Rear 12503619 (1) As Required

Belt Assembly - Med. Beechwood - Passenger 12500489 (1) As Required Belt Assembly - Med. Beechwood - Driver 12500490 (1) As Required Belt Assembly - Med. Beechwood - Right Rear 12503620 (1) As Required Belt Assembly - Med. Beechwood - Left Rear 12503621 (1) As Required

Belt Assembly - Med. Dark Gray- Passenger 12500494 (1) As Required Belt Assembly - Med. Dark Gray- Driver 12500493 (1) As Required Belt Assembly - Med. Dark Gray- Right Rear 12503624 (1) As Required Belt Assembly - Med. Dark Gray- Left Rear 12503625 (1) As Required

SERVICE PROCEDURE

For vehicles which are sold units, ask the vehicle owner whether he has inspected all of the vehicle's safety belts. If he has, ask him to describe any difficulties he may have had in latching or unlatching each of the belts. If the owner has noted a problem, perform the campaign repair procedure described below on the belt or belts with the described problem.

If the owner has not inspected his own belts, or if he is unsure about his inspection (and for dealer' in-stock units), perform the inspection as described below to determine if a repair is necessary.

INSPECTION

1. Without sitting in the seat, buckle each safety belt. You should hear an audible click which indicates that the latch is buckled.

Then, push the red release button. The latchplate should pop right out.

A problem exists if: The seat belt cannot be buckled at all; or The latchplate does not pop right out when the red release button is pressed.

2. If no problems are found during the belt inspection, no replacement is necessary. Install the Campaign Identification Label and return the vehicle to the customer or to dealer stock.

If any of the belts had either of the problems described in the inspection procedure, replace the retractor side safety belt assembly for that belt, using the procedure described below.

REPLACEMENT

1. First check the buckle to be sure that there are no foreign objects (such as a penny or gum wrapper) interfering with its operation. If you find a foreign object, replace the buckle side of the assembly first. Then check the belt system again, using the inspection procedure above.

If the problem no longer exists, there is no need to replace the retractor side of the assembly. If there are no foreign objects in the buckle, or if the problem still exists after the buckle has been replaced, go onto the next step.

2. Replace retractor side of the safety belt system, following the procedure found in the 1991 Pontiac Firebird Service Manual, pages 10-10-2 through 10-10-3.

When you are through, be certain to test the newly installed belt to assure that it works properly.

3. Install Campaign Identification Label.

CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL

Each vehicle modified 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, the five digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service, and the date the vehicle was campaigned. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or ballpoint pen. Install the label only on a clean, dry surface of the radiator baffle where it is readily visible. (Additional campaign labels are available on stationery order as Form 7901-709).

CLAIM INFORMATION

A separate repair order must be used for each vehicle. A completed warranty claim is to be kept as a permanent record of completion.

DEALERS SHOULD SUBMIT WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR CREDIT IN THEIR NORMAL MANNER WHEN THEY PERFORM THE SERVICE AS FOLLOWS:

*Other Failure Labor Labor Labor Operation Code Operation Hours Hours ------------------------ ------ --------- ----- ----- Inspect All Belts - No Replacements Necessary 96 V6599 0.2 0.1

Inspect/Replace All Four (4) Shoulder Belt Assemblies 96 V6600 1.9 0.1

Inspect/Replace Both Front & One (1) Rear Shoulder Belt 96 V6601 1.6 0.1 Assemblies

Inspect/Replace Both Rear & One (1) Front Shoulder Belt 96 V6602 1.1 0.1 Assemblies

Inspect/Replace Both Front Shoulder Belt Assemblies 96 V6603 1.4 0.1

Inspect/Replace One (1) Front & One (1) Rear Shoulder 96 V6604 1.1 0.1 Belt Assembly

Inspect/Replace Both Rear Shoulder Belt Assemblies 96 V6605 0.8 0.1

Inspect/Replace One (1) Front Shoulder Belt Assembly 96 V6606 0.8 0.1

Inspect/Replace One (1) Rear Shoulder Belt Assembly 96 V6607 0.5 0.1

* In addition dealerships will receive 0.1 hours credit for dealer adminis- trative services associated with this campaign. The 0.1 hours allowance is to be entered in the "Other Labor Hours" field with each campaign repair listed for credit. This entry will not require authorization.

FAILURE CODE 96 MUST BE USED WITH THE LABOR OPERATION.

Parts required are to be listed in your warranty claim in the normal manner. Parts will be credited at dealer net plus 30% dealer handling allowance.

Dealers will be credited via Warranty Document or Terminal Transmission, whichever is their normal method of submission for payment. Claim must contain all information required and should list the labor operation as outlined.

RECORDING COMPLETION

Repairs submitted for vehicles not involved in the campaign will not be paid. Campaign completion will be recorded from "PROPERLY COMPLETED AND PAID WARRANTY CLAIMS." Owners are being asked to present the owner reply card for identification to their dealer at the time they bring in their vehicle to have the campaign performed.

Dear Pontiac Owner:

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 determined that some 1991 Pontiac Firebird model vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies." If you no longer own a 1991 Firebird, please help us by completing and mailing the postage paid reply card that you will find with this letter. If you do have a 1991 Firebird, please read on.

One or more of the seat belts in the car might not latch properly, so that if there is a crash, the person wearing that belt would not have the protection that a seat belt can give.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

Please check each safety belt in your Firebird. It takes only a few seconds, or your Pontiac dealer can check your safety belts for you if you prefer. Without sitting in the seat, buckle each belt. You should hear an audible click which indicates that the latch is buckled.

Then, push the red release button. The latch plate should pop right out.

There's a problem if:

* You can't buckle up the belt at all; or

* When you push the red release button, the latch plate doesn't pop right out.

If either of these things is true for any of your safety belts we want to fix your car right away.

Please call your Pontiac dealer now and schedule a time to go in. Be sure to give your car's model and interior color, so they can be sure to have the correct color safety belts for your car when you get there.

WHAT WE WILL DO

In cars that have either of the problems described above, we will replace the retractor assembly for the safety belt(s) with the problem at no charge.

Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your Pontiac dealer and parts are available. The labor time necessary to perform this service correction is about fifteen (15) minutes to two (2) hours depending on the number of belts which require replacement. However, this doesn't include time for scheduling and processing. Please ask your dealer if you want to know how much extra time they will need to schedule and process your vehicle on the day you bring it in.

Your Pontiac dealer is best able to get parts and provide service to make sure your vehicle is corrected as quickly as possible. However, if you take your vehicle to your dealer on the agreed service date, but the dealer doesn't remedy this condition on that date, or within five (5) days, you should contact the Pontiac Customer Assistance Center by calling: 1-800-762-2737.

If you contact your dealer and the Pontiac Customer Assistance Center, but still aren't satisfied that we've 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, DC 20590 or call 1-800-424-9393 (Washington, DC residents use 366-0123).

The enclosed Campaign Owner Reply Card identifies your vehicle. Giving this card to your dealer will help them correct your car in the shortest possible time.

If none of your car's safety belts have any one of these problems, you don't need to call your dealer. Please check the red box on your postage paid reply card and return it to us. This will help to make us aware of your vehicles status in this recall.

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 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.