CAMPAIGN:THIRD ROW SEAT BELT RETRACTORS

Subject: PRODUCT SAFETY CAMPAIGN 94-C-04 3rd ROW SEAT BELT RETRACTORS

Models Affected: 1994 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT

TO: ALL PONTIAC DEALERS

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 1994 Pontiac Trans Sport model vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies," which requires that seat belt retractors must not lock-up while a vehicle is parked on less than a 15" slope. Involved vehicles have 3rd row seat belt retractors which may lock-up on slopes less severe than this requirement. As a result, passengers seated in the 3rd row seats will be unable extract and fasten their seat belts until the vehicle is moved to a more level surface. Unbelted occupants are more at risk of injury than those using seat belts. It should be noted that these seat belts once extracted and worn properly will function normally in a vehicle crash regardless of slope.

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring and in order to comply with FMVSS 209, dealers are to remove the 3rd row seat belt retractors and reinstall them properly.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

Involved are certain 1994 Pontiac Trans Sport model vehicles built within the following VIN breakpoints:

Up To And Year Plant Beginning Including ---- ----- --------- --------- 1994 Tarrytown RT200001 RT212604

Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number Computer Listings. Computer listings contain the complete Vehicle Identification Number, owner name and address data, and are furnished to 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

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 owners take possession of these vehicles.

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.

Owners of vehicles recently sold from your new vehicle inventory with no owner information indicated on the dealer listing, are to be contacted by the dealer, and arrangements made to make the required correction according to the instructions contained in this bulletin. This could be done by mailing to such owners a copy of the owners letter accompanying this bulletin. Campaign follow-up cards should not be used for this purpose, since the owner may not as yet have received the notification letter.

In summary, 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, please take the steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.

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

NO PARTS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THIS CAMPAIGN.

SPECIAL TOOL KIT

Each dealer will be shipped a retractor repair tool kit, J-41258, for use in this campaign during the week of February 21, 1994. This kit is being furnished at no charge. Additional tools, if required, may be purchased by contacting Kent-Moore Tool Company at 1-800-345-2233.

Each Kit Contains The Following: 3 Retractor Locking Clips 3 Seat Belt Retaining Clips

SERVICE PROCEDURE

1. Remove cargo net, jack storage panel and, if equipped, accessory power outlet (compressor inflator) cover.

2. Fold both rear seats forward to provide access to shoulder belt retractors.

3. Starting on right side, pull all webbing from retractor and clip together just below "D" ring using seat belt retaining clip from kit (Figure 1, View A).

4. Check part number on belt webbing. If number differs from those listed in chart below, continue to step 5. If part number matches a number in the chart below, remove clip and reinstall items removed in steps 1-2 and proceed to step 16.

BELT COLORS

MEDIUM DARK MEDIUM RUBY ADRIATIC GRAY BEIGE RED BLUE ----------- ------ ---- --------

LEFT 10261890 10261891 10261892 10261893 RIGHT 10261895 10261896 10261897 10261898

5. Remove bolt securing retractor to body. Cross off the word "Right" from retractor and mark it "#1" (Figure 2).

6. Remove small black plastic cap from side of retractor and insert locking cap supplied in kit (Figure 1, View B). To prevent locking cap from falling out, wrap tape around retractor and over cap as shown in Figure 1, View C.

7. Remove clip installed in step 3 from webbing and push end of webbing out of retractor spool.

8. Remove retaining pin from end of webbing and remove webbing from retractor (Figure 1, View D).

Notice: Should locking cap become disengaged from retractor at any time after the webbing is removed from the spool, the spool will unwind and the complete belt/retractor assembly will require replacement.

DO NOT attempt to repair retractor should this occur.

9. Repeat steps 5 through 8 for left side of vehicle. In step 5, cross off the word "Left" on the retractor and mark it "#2."

10. Staying on left side of vehicle and using retractor #1, feed webbing through slot in retractor spool and insert retaining pin in loop. Pull webbing to seat pin in spool securely.

11. Reinstall clip at "D" ring as in step 3 and remove tape and locking clip from retractor.

12. Reinstall original black plastic cap to retractor.

13. Assure webbing is not twisted and reinstall retractor assembly to body and torque to 42. Nm (31 lb.ft.). Remove clip at "D" ring and check operation of retractor.

14. Repeat steps 10 through 13 to install retractor #2 to right side of vehicle.

15. Reinstall items removed in steps 1 and 2.

16. 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 7201-709.)

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 - Correct Seat Belt Already Installed 96 V8480 0.2 0.1

Inspect - Swap Left and Right Retractor Assemblies 96 V8481 0.4 0.1

* In addition, dealerships will receive 0.1 hours credit for dealer administrative 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.

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 certain 1994 Pontiac Trans Sport model vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies," which requires that seat belt retractors must not lock-up while a vehicle is parked on less than a 15" slope. Involved vehicles have 3rd row seat belt retractors which may lock-up on slopes less severe than this requirement. As a result, passengers seated in the 3rd row seats will be unable extract and fasten their seat belts until the vehicle is moved to a more level surface. Unbelted occupants are more at risk of injury than those using seat belts. It should be noted that these seat belts once extracted and worn properly will function normally in a vehicle crash regardless of slope.

WHAT WE WILL DO

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring and in order to comply with FMVSS 209, your dealer will remove the 3rd row seat belt retractors and reinstall them properly.

This service will be performed for you at no charge.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

Please contact your Pontiac dealer as soon as possible to arrange an appointment.

Instructions for making this inspection/correction have been sent to your Pontiac Dealer and parts are available. The labor time necessary to perform this service correction is approximately 20 minutes. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to schedule and process your vehicle.

Your Pontiac dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide service to ensure that your vehicle is corrected as promptly as possible. If, however, you take your vehicle to your dealer on the agreed service date, and they do not remedy this condition on that date, or within five (5) days, we recommend you contact the Pontiac Customer Assistance Center by calling: 1-800-762-2737.

After contacting your dealer and the Pontiac Customer Assistance Center, if 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, 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. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist in making the necessary inspection/correction in the shortest possible time. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please let us know by completing the postage-paid Owner Reply Card and returning it to US.

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.

PONTIAC DIVISION General Motors Corporation

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.