GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

CAMPAIGN: 1981 'B' SERIES GENERATOR/INSTRUMENT GAUGES

GENERAL MOTORS HAS DETERMINED THAT SOME 1981 PONTIAC CATALINA, BONNEVILLE AND BONNEVILLE BROUGHAM MODELS (SAFARI WAGONS INCLUDED) EQUIPPED WITH A 5.7 LITER DIESEL (350 CID) V-8 ENGINE AND INSTRUMENT GAUGES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH THE WIRE LEADING TO THE "FIELD" TERMINAL OF THE GENERATOR NOT CONNECTED TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. IF THIS SITUATION IS PRESENT, THE GENERATOR MAY NOT CHARGE THE BATTERY AND THE ENGINE MAY BE DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO START.

TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION, A JUMPER HARNESS WILL BE INSTALLED ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

INVOLVED ARE CERTAIN 1981 PONTIAC CATALINA, BONNEVILLE AND BONNEVILLE BROUGHAM MODELS (SAFARI WAGONS INCLUDED) EQUIPPED WITH A 5.7 LITER DIESEL ENGINE AND INSTRUMENT GAUGES WITHIN THE FOLLOWING VEHICLE BREAKPOINTS:

PLANTS FROM UP TO FAIRFAX SOP 1G2AR69N5BX104557 OSHAWA SOP 2G2AN37N1B1706740

SOME VEHICLES WITH V.I.N.'S WITHIN THE ABOVE LISTED RANGE OF NUMBERS WERE CORRECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH DEALER TECHNICAL BULLETIN 81-T-1 AND WILL NOT APPEAR ON THE PRINTOUT.

DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY

DEALERS ARE TO SERVICE ALL VEHICLES SUBJECT TO THIS CAMPAIGN, 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.

OWNER NOTIFICATION

OWNERS OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN, WHOSE NAMES ARE ON RECORD AT THE TIME THE CAMPAIGN LISTS WERE PREPARED, WILL BE NOTIFIED BY PONTIAC MOTOR DIVISION (SEE COPY OF OWNER LETTER INCLUDED WITH THIS BULLETIN).

NOTICE: OWNERS OF VEHICLES RECENTLY SOLD FROM YOUR NEW VEHICLE INVENTORY ARE TO BE CONTACTED BY THE DEALER, AND ARRANGEMENTS MADE TO MAKE THE REQUIRED MODIFICATION ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS CONTAINED IN THIS BULLETIN.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

CAUSE: THE BROWN WIRE LEADING TO THE 'FIELD' TERMINAL OF THE GENERATOR MAY NOT BE CONNECTED TO THE IGNITION SWITCH.

CORRECTION: FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE BELOW. THE BROWN/WHITE WIRE IN THE JUMPER HARNESS CONTAINS THE 10 OHMS RESISTANCE NECESSARY IN THE FIELD CIRCUIT, AND THIS WIRE MUST NOT BE SHORTENED.

1. OPEN HOOD AND DISCONNECT BOTH NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLES. 2. REMOVE L.H. HUSH PANEL AND LOWER A/C DUCT. 3. SEPARATE FUSEBLOCK FROM BULKHEAD CONNECTOR BY REMOVING TWO (2) MOUNTING SCREWS, THEN RELEASING CLIPS AT CORNERS. PULL FUSEBLOCK OUT, LEAVING BULKHEAD CONNECTOR IN BULKHEAD. 4. LOCATE TERMINAL CX IN BULKHEAD CONNECTOR (SEE FIGURE 1). USE A SMALL BLADE SCREWDRIVER TO CRUSH THE LOCKING TAB, THEN REMOVE THE BROWN WIRE AND TERMINAL FROM THE CAVITY. CUT OFF AND DISCARD TERMINAL AND TAPE BACK UNUSED WIRE. 5. INSERT TERMINAL A OF THE JUMPER HARNESS (SEE FIGURE 2) INTO CAVITY CX. MAKE SURE LOCKING TAB LOCKS SECURELY INTO CAVITY. 6. REMOVE LOWER I.P. TRIMPLATE. DISCONNECT STEERING COLUMN SHIFT INDICATOR WIRE. LOWER STEERING COLUMN. 7. REMOVE BLACK CONNECTOR FROM IGNITION SWITCH. CAREFULLY REMOVE ORANGE WIRE FROM CONNECTOR BY DEPRESSING THE LOCKING TAB ON THE TERMINAL FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE, USING A SMALL BLADE SCREWDRIVER. 8. INSERT TERMINAL B OF THE JUMPER HARNESS INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH CONNECTOR, MAKING SURE THE LOCKING TAB SEATS SECURELY, THEN INSERT THE ORANGE WIRE TERMINAL PREVIOUSLY REMOVED INTO THE TAB END OF THE CONNECTOR FURNISHED WITH THE JUMPER. INSERT TERMINAL C OF THE JUMPER HARNESS INTO THE OTHER END OF THE CONNECTOR, AND MAKE SURE BOTH ENDS ARE SEATED FIRMLY. 9. REINSTALL ISNITION SWITCH CONNECTOR. TAPE BROWN/WHITE WIRE IN A LOOP, THEN TAPE TO I.P. HARNESS. DO NOT REMOVE ANY LENGTH FROM THIS WIRE. 10. REINSTALL ALL REMOVED PARTS. 11. INSTALL CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL

EACH VEHICLE MODIFIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS OUTLINED IN THIS SERVICE PROCEDURE WILL REQUIRE A CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL. EACH LABEL PROVIDES A SPACE TO INCLUDE THE CAMPAIGN NUMBER, THE FIVE (5)DIGIT DEALER CODE OF THE DEALER PERFORMING THE CAMPAIGN SERVICE, AND THE DATE VEHICLE WAS CAMPAIGNED. THIS INFORMATION MAY BE INSERTED WITH A TYPEWRITER OR BALLPOINT PEN. WHEN INSTALLING LABEL, CLEAN THE SURFACE OF THE RADIATOR UPPER MOUNTING PANEL AND APPLY THE CAMPAIGN LABEL. 12. CLOSE HOOD. COMPLETE THE CAMPAIGN REPLY CARD AND MAIL IT TO PONTIAC.

ENCLOSED WITH YOUR COPY OF THIS BULLETIN ARE THE FOLLOWING:

A LIST OF THOSE VEHICLES INVOLVED, WHICH OUR RECORDS INDICATE ARE IN YOUR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, IS ATTACHED FOR YOUR FOLLOW UP. ADVISE THE ZONE IF VEHICLES APPEARING ON THE ATTACHED LIST ARE NOT IN YOUR AREA. (IF A LIST OF VEHICLES IS NOT ATTACHED, OUR RECORDS INDICATE NO AFFECTED VEHICLE IN YOUR AREA).

A SPECIAL COMPUTER DATA CARD (FORM 4425) IS FURNISHED FOR EACH VEHICLE ON YOUR LIST FOR REPORTING COMPLETION. CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABELS ARE FURNISHED FOR INSTALLATION ON THE RADIATOR UPPER MOUNTING PANEL TO IDENTIFY CARS COMPLETED.

IF A VEHICLE HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED OR SOLD TO ANOTHER LOCATION, PLEASE COMPLETE THE NEW NAME AND ADDRESS SECTION OF THE ENCLOSED FORM 4425 AND FORWARD TO YOUR PONTIAC ZONE OFFICE.

PARTS INFORMATION DEALERS ARE TO OBTAIN THE NECESSARY JUMPER HARNESS(ES) FROM THEIR LOCAL PONTIAC ZONE OFFICE. THESE PARTS WILL BE FURNISHED "NO CHARGE" TO REQUESTING DEALERS.

RECORDING COMPLETION

CAMPAIGN COMPLETION WILL BE RECORDED FROM PROPERLY COMPLETED AND PAID WARRANTY CLAIMS AND DEALER COMPLETION OF SPECIAL COMPUTER DATA CARDS. 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.

THE COMPUTER DATA CARDS FOR THE VEHICLES SHOWN ON YOUR LIST ARE INCLUDED WITH THIS BULLETIN. THIS CARD IS PREPRINTED WITH THE V.I. NUMBER, DEALER CODE AND CAMPAIGN NUMBER. UPON COMPLETION OF THE REPAIR, THE CARD SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BE COMPLETED, INCLUDING REPAIR ORDER NUMBER, DATE OF REPAIR AND SIGNATURE OF PERSON VERIFYING THE REPIARS AND FORWARDED TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT, PONTIAC MOTOR DIVISION, ONE PONTIAC PLAZA, PONTIAC, MICHIGAN 48053.

ADDITIONAL CARDS AND CAMPAIGN LABELS ARE AVAILABLE FROM YOUR ZONE OFFICE SERVICE DEPARTMENT.

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

(NOTICE: A COMPLETED WARRANTY CLAIM IS TO BE KEPT AS A PERMANENT RECORD OF COMPLETION).

WARRANTY CREDIT

A SEPARATE REPAIR ORDER MUST BE USED FOR EACH VIN.

(LABOR)

THE NEW LABOR OPERATION LISTED BELOW IS ASSIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN.

LABOR TROUBLE OTHER DESCRIPTION OPERATION CODE TIME LABOR

MODIFY HARNESS V0640 96 0.7 HOUR 0.L HOUR

* IN ADDITION, DEALERSHIPS WILL RECEIVE 0.1 HOURS CREDIT FOR DEALER ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CAMPAIGN. THE 0.L HOURS ALLOWANCE IS TO BE ENTERED IN THE "OTHER LABOR" FIELD WITH EACH CAMPAIGN REPAIR LISTED FOR CREDIT. THIS ENTRY WILL NOT REQUIRE ZONE AUTHORIZATION."

TROUBLE CODE 96 MUST BE USED WITH THE LABOR OPERATION.

(PARTS)

LIST THE APPLICABLE ALLOWANCE UNDER THE SUBLET-DEALER MATERIAL-TOWING COLUMN...THIS REPORT OF DEALER NET OF THE FURNISHED PARTS.

THE NECESSARY PARTS ARE BEING FURNISHED TO DEALERS NO CHARGE, THEREFORE, PART NUMBERS ARE NOT TO BE LISTED ON THE WARRANTY CLAIM.

MATERIAL - $0.70 NET AMOUNT CODE IS NO LONGER USED WITH THE ONE-LINE SYSTEM

(CREDITING)

DEALERS WILL BE CREDITED VIA WARRANTY DOCUMENT OR TERMINAL TRANSMISSION, WHICHEVER IS THEIR NORMAL METHOD OF SUBMISSION FOR PAYMENT. CLAIMS MUST CONTAIN ALL INFORMATION REQUIRED AND SHOULD LIST THE LABOR OPERATION AS OUTLINED.

REPAIRS SUBMITTED FOR VEHICLES NOT INVOLVED IN THE CAMPAIGN WILL NOT B PAID.

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.