Spark Plug Wire Failure

General Motors has decided to conduct a Voluntary Emission Campaign involving certain 1996 and 1997 Chevrolet Lumina, Monte Carlo; Pontiac Grand Prix; and Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme model vehicles, equipped with 3.4 L (RPO LQ1) engines. The spark plug wires on these vehicles may be causing the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) to be illuminated, as well as causing rough idle and poor performance. These conditions may be due to a dielectric breakdown of the plastic extender piece at the boot joint of the spark plug wire.

To correct this condition, dealers are to replace all six spark plug wires with a new service spark plug wire assembly kit that is designed to be robust against dielectric breakdown failures.

Involved are certain 1996 and 1997 Chevrolet Lumina, Monte Carlo; Pontiac Grand Prix; and Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme (W-Car) model vehicles, equipped with 3.4 L (RPO LQ1) engines and built within the following VIN breakpoints:

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.

Notice: An initial supply of spark plug wire assembly kits and gaskets, equivalent to 20% of involved vehicles, required to complete this campaign will be pre-shipped to involved dealers of record. This pre-shipment will occur the week of August 9, 1999. 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 (GM SPO). Please refer to your "involved vehicles listing" prior to ordering parts. Normal orders should be placed on a DRO = Daily Replenishment Order. In an emergency, parts should be ordered on a CSO = Customer Special Order.

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).

In order to ensure full protection under the emission warranty, and the right to participate in future recalls, the customer notification letter recommends that customers have their vehicles serviced as soon as possible. It also advises that failure to do so could legally be determined to be lack of proper maintenance. The vehicle may fail a state or local emission inspection test if the recall work is not completed.

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.

When a California emissions campaign is completed by a GM dealer, the dealer must provide the vehicle owner a "Proof Of Correction Certificate" which the owner may need to present to the California Department Of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when renewing their vehicle registration. Without this correction certificate, the owner may be unable to renew their vehicle registration.

Additional Certificates can be obtained, at no charge, from Dealer Support Materials by calling 1-888-414-6322 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST). Ask for GM Item Number 1825 when ordering.

1. Prep the vehicle.



2. Remove the fuel injector sight shield.



3. Remove the evaporative emission canister purge solenoid (1), purge valve (2), brackets, electrical connectors, vacuum lines, and bolts.
4. Remove the spark plug wires from the ignition coils.



5. Remove the ignition control module mounting bolts (2 and 3), electrical connectors, and ignition control module (1).
6. Disconnect the wire harness retainer from the ignition control module mounting bracket.
7. Remove the ignition control module bracket attachment bolts (6) and nut (4).
8. Remove the control module mounting bracket (5).
9. Remove the PCV hose from the upper intake manifold.



10. Remove the EGR valve upper brace nuts and the brace (1).
11. Remove the EGR valve lower brace, nuts (3) and brace (2).



12. Remove the throttle body adapter pipe mounting bolts (1) and stud (2), from the intake manifold, so that the throttle body assembly can remain intact on the engine when the intake manifold is removed.




Important: COVER ALL OPENINGS TO PREVENT DEBRIS OR OTHER ITEMS FROM ENTERING THE ENGINE.

13. Remove the upper intake manifold bolts (1) and gaskets (2 and 3). Clean gasket surfaces.



14. Remove the OLD spark plug wire assembly and install the NEW spark plug wire assembly, p/n 88880024 (1).



15. Install a NEW throttle body and EGR adapter pipe gasket, p/n 24504034 (2), and NEW upper intake manifold gasket, p/n 24504025 (3).
16. Install the upper intake manifold and bolts (1).

Tighten
Tighten bolts to 26 N·m (19 lb ft).




17. Install the throttle body adapter pipe bolts (1) and stud (2).

Tighten
Tighten bolts and stud to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).




18. Install the EGR valve lower brace (2) and nuts (3).

Tighten
Tighten the nuts to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).

19. Install the EGR valve upper brace (1) and nuts.

Tighten
Tighten the nuts to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).

20. Install the PCV hose to the upper intake manifold.



21. Install the ignition control mounting bracket (5), bolts (6), and nut (4).

Tighten

•	Tighten the bolts to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).

•	Tighten the nut to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).

22. Install the wire harness retainer to the ignition control module mounting bracket.
23. Install the ignition control module (1), ignition control module mounting bolts (2 and 3), and electrical connectors.

Tighten
Tighten the bolts to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).

24. Install the spark plug wires to the ignition coils.



25. Install the evaporative emission canister purge solenoid (1), purge valve (2), brackets, electrical connectors, vacuum lines, and bolts.

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




26. Install the fuel injector sight shield.
27. Install the TECH 2 on the vehicle. Verify that no engine misfire data or codes are stored. Clear all misfire data from the PCM memory.
28. Install the GM Campaign Identification Label.
29. California dealers only, provide owner with a "Vehicle Emission Recall Proof Of Correction" certificate.

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 Dealer Support Materials by calling 1-888-414-6322 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST). 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.

Customer requests for reimbursement of previously paid repairs to correct spark plug wire failures are to be submitted prior to or by August 31, 2000 (this time limitation may be longer depending upon the law in your state). Only repairs performed prior to the release of this recall (September 1, 1999) are eligible for reimbursement.

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

Customers from the States of California, Connecticut, Virginia, and Wisconsin must submit requests for reimbursement directly to (Divisions) per instructions in the owner letter.

If the work was done by someone other than a GM dealership, the amount of reimbursement will generally be limited to the amount that the repair would have cost GM to have it completed by a GM dealership.

Dear GM Customer:

This notice is sent to inform you that General Motors is conducting a customer satisfaction recall campaign, involving an emission component, that includes your vehicle.

Certain 1996 and 1997 Chevrolet Lumina, Monte Carlo; Pontiac Grand Prix; and Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme model vehicles equipped with 3.4 L V6 engines may have spark plug wires that are causing the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) to be illuminated, as well as causing rough idle and poor performance.

To correct this condition, your GM dealer will replace all six spark wires with a new service spark plug wire assembly kit that is designed to be robust against these poor performance conditions.

Please contact your dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date and to assure parts availability. 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.

If you experience any trouble scheduling your vehicle or you have any questions regarding this recall action, please contact the Customer Assistance Center at the number below:

The attached 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 reply card and returning it to us in the postage paid envelope.

(Statement for all states except as shown below.)

Additionally, if you have already paid for some or all of the cost to have your spark plug wires repaired, you should contact your dealer to seek reimbursement. Please provide your dealer with your original paid receipts or invoices verifying the repair, the amount charged, proof of payment, the date of payment of those charges and proof of ownership of the vehicle at the time of the repair by August 31, 2000. Only repairs performed prior to the release of this recall (September 1, 1999) are eligible for reimbursement.

(Statement for California, Connecticut, Virginia and Wisconsin)

Additionally, if you have already paid for some or all of the cost to have your spark plug wires repaired, you should write (DIVISIONAL SPECIFIC ADDRESS) to seek reimbursement. Please provide your original paid receipts or invoices verifying the repair, the amount charged, proof of payment, the date of payment of those charges and proof of ownership of the vehicle at the time of the repair. Only repairs performed prior to the release of this recall (September 1, 1999) are eligible for reimbursement. This information must be provided within two (2) years of the date on which you paid for the repair or by August 31, 2000, whichever is later.

In order to ensure your full protection under the emission warranty made applicable to your vehicle by Federal Law, and your right to participate in future recalls, it is recommended that you have your vehicle serviced as soon as possible. Failure to do so could legally be determined to be lack of proper maintenance of your vehicle. Also, your vehicle may fail a state or local emission inspection if the recall is not accomplished.

The California Air Resource Board (CARB) requires vehicle emission recall campaigns be completed prior to California registration renewal. Uncorrected emission recall campaigns will result in the inability to renew your California vehicle registration.

At the time of emission campaign completion, your California dealer will issue a "Proof Of Correction Certificate". Keep this certificate and, if required, present it to the Department of Motor Vehicles when renewing your California registration as proof of campaign completion.

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.

We are sorry to cause you this inconvenience; however, we have taken this action in the interest of your continued satisfaction with our product.

(Chevrolet, Pontiac-GMC, or Oldsmobile) Division

General Motors Corporation

Enclosure