Product Safety - Steering Wheel Retaining Nut

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.

General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1999 Oldsmobile Alero and Pontiac Grand Am model vehicles. These vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the steering wheel becomes loose on the steering shaft due to the steering wheel retaining nut not being tightened to specified torque. If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, a vehicle crash could result without prior warning.

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, dealers are to inspect the steering wheel retaining nut for correct torque and tighten as necessary.

Involved are the following 1999 Oldsmobile Alero and Pontiac Grand Am model vehicles:

Important: Dealers should confirm vehicle eligibility through VISS (Vehicle Information Service System) 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.

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).

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 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.

Refer to Sections 9-11 (SIR) and 2-23 (Steering Wheel and Column) of the 1999 Oldsmobile Alero/Pontiac Grand Am Service Manual for additional information about the following service procedures.

1. Disable the SIR system:

1.1.	Turn the ignition key to the OFF position and remove the key.

1.2.	Remove the AIR BAG fuse from the LH instrument panel wiring harness junction block.

1.3.	Remove the Connector Position Assurance (CPA) from the driver's side yellow 2-way connector located above the LH instrument panel wiring harness junction block and disconnect the connector.

1.4.	Remove the Connector Position Assurance (CPA) from the passenger's side yellow 2-way connector located above the RH instrument panel wiring harness junction block and disconnect the connector.

2. Remove the tilt steering wheel lever (Grand Am only).
3. Remove the upper and lower steering column covers (Grand Am only).

Important: For access to the two inflatable restraint module attaching screws on the backside of the steering wheel in the next step, it will be necessary to turn (rotate) the steering wheel.

4. Using a T-27 Torx® head tool, or the equivalent, loosen the two screws that attach the inflatable restraint module to the steering wheel. When loose, the two screws will remain in the steering wheel.
5. Carefully pull the inflatable restraint module away from the steering wheel. Disconnect the two electrical connections for the horn from the steering wheel and disconnect the electrical connector from the backside of the module.
6. Remove the two inflatable restraint module attaching screws from the inside of the steering wheel.
7. Using a torque wrench, inspect and tighten the steering wheel retaining nut.

Tighten
Tighten the retaining nut to 38 N·m (28 lb ft).

8. Install the two inflatable restraint module attaching screws into the backside of the module.

Tighten
Tighten the attaching screws to 10 N·m (89 lb in).

9. Reconnect the two horn electrical connectors to the steering wheel and reconnect the steering column wiring harness connector to the inflatable restraint module.
10. Position the inflatable restraint module on the steering wheel and snap into place by applying forward pressure.
11. Reinstall the upper and lower steering column covers (Grand Am only).
12. Reinstall tilt steering column lever (Grand Am only).
13. Enable the SIR system:

13.1.

Reconnect the passenger's side yellow 2-way connector located above the RH instrument panel wiring harness junction block. Install the Connector Position Assurance (CPA).

13.2.

Reconnect the driver's side yellow 2-way connector located above the LH instrument panel wiring harness junction block. Install the Connector Position Assurance (CPA).

13.3.

Install the AIR BAG fuse in the LH instrument panel wiring harness junction block.

14. Sitting in the driver's seat, leaning against the seat back, turn the ignition switch to the ON position and verify that the AIR BAG warning lamp flashes seven (7) times and then turns OFF.
15. Install the GM 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 the 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 am to 4:30 pm Eastern Standard Time). Ask for Item Number S-1015 when ordering.

Apply the "Campaign Identification Label" only on a clean, dry surface.

Submit a Product Campaign Claim with the information indicated below.

Refer to the General Motors Corporation Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Campaign Claim Submission.

Dear <Division(s)> 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 1999 Oldsmobile Alero and Pontiac Grand Am model vehicles. These vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the steering wheel becomes loose on the steering shaft due to the steering wheel retaining nut not being tightened to specified torque. If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, a vehicle crash could result without prior warning.

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, your dealer will inspect the steering wheel retaining nut for correct torque and tighten as necessary. This service will be performed for you at no charge .

The length of time required to perform this inspection and service correction is approximately 30 minutes. Additional time may be required to schedule and process your vehicle. If you 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.

Please contact your dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date. Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your dealer. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much time will be needed to schedule, process, and repair your vehicle.

Your 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/Relations 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 1-800-424-9393 (Washington, DC residents use 202-366-0123).

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.

Your dealer will provide you with shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation, if required, 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.

<Division(s)>

General Motors Corporation

Enclosure