Product Safety - Brake and/or Tail Lamps Inoperative

General Motors has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2000-2002 Saturn LS and 2000-2004 Saturn LW vehicles. The tail lamp housing can become distorted if the brake lamps remain on for an extended period of time. This distortion could cause the brake and/or tail lamps to become inoperative. Reduced visibility or lack of braking indication to following drivers could contribute to a vehicle crash.

Retailers are to install two new tail lamp bracket housing assemblies and bulbs.

Involved are certain 2000-2002 Saturn LS and 2000-2004 Saturn LW vehicles built within these VIN breakpoints:

Important: Canadian Saturn retailers should confirm vehicle eligibility through GMVIS (GM Vehicle Inquiry System) prior to beginning recall repairs. [Not all vehicles within the above breakpoints may be involved.]

Important: Saturn US retailers must verify recall involvement by running a National Vehicle History (NVH) prior to performing repairs. Not all vehicles within the above breakpoints may be involved. Recall claims will only be paid on involved vehicles.

For Canadian Saturn retailers with involved vehicles, a Campaign Initiation Detail Report (CIDR) containing the complete vehicle identification number, customer name and address data has been prepared and will be loaded to the GMinfoNet Recall Reports. Retailers will not have a report available if they have no involved vehicles currently assigned.

The Campaign Initiation Detail Report may contain customer names and addresses obtained from Motor Vehicle Registration Records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any purpose other than follow-up necessary to complete this recall is a violation of law in several states/provinces/countries. Accordingly, you are urged to limit the use of this report to the follow-up necessary to complete this recall.

For Saturn Canada: Parts required to complete this recall are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). Please refer to your "involved vehicles listing" before ordering parts. Normal orders should be placed on a DRO = Daily Replenishment Order. In an emergency situation, parts should be ordered on a CSO = Customer Special Order.

For Saturn US: A pre-shipment of the required parts to perform this recall has been sent to involved Saturn US retailers from Saturn Service Parts Operations (SSPO).

2000-2002 L-Series Sedan

1. Open the rear compartment and pull back the side carpet to gain access to the tail lamp.

Important: Do not remove the tail lamp assembly from the vehicle.

2. Disconnect or remove the following components from the tail lamp assembly:

2.1.	Disconnect the electrical connector from the tail lamp.

2.2.	Remove and discard the upper outer gray socket and bulb assembly (brake/tail lamp bulb).

2.3.	Remove the three nuts on the rear of the lamp assembly.





Important: There is a bracket assembly for the left and right tail lamp assembly. Each bracket assembly has a side indicator (1) on the face of the bracket assembly. Refer to the illustration to view the bracket assembly and the location of the side indicator.

3. Assemble and install the new bracket assembly.

3.1.	Install the bulb, P/N 12450108, into the socket in the bracket assembly.

3.2.	Position the bulb into the lamp assembly opening and slide the bracket over the three rear lamp studs.

Notice: Refer to Fastener Notice in Cautions and Notices, SI document number 9788.

3.3.	Install the nuts to the tail lamp.

Tighten
Tighten the nuts to 3.5 N·m(31 lb in).

3.4.	Attach the loose connector from the bracket assembly to the connector on the tail lamp assembly.

3.5.	Attach the body harness connector to the fixed connector on the bracket assembly.

4. Perform the repair procedure on the other tail lamp. Perform Steps 1 - 3.5 and then proceed to Step 5.
5. Verify the function of all tail lamp bulbs.
6. Reposition the side carpet and close the rear compartment.

2000-2004 L-Series Wagon

1. Open the liftgate and remove the interior rear access panel.

Important: Do not remove the tail lamp assembly from the vehicle.

2. Disconnect or remove the following components from the rear tail lamp assembly:

2.1.	Disconnect the electrical connector from the tail lamp.

2.2.	Remove the upper two nuts from the tail lamp assembly.

2.3.	Remove and discard the upper gray socket and bulb assembly (brake/tail lamp bulb).





Important: There is a bracket assembly for the left and the right tail lamp assembly. Each bracket assembly has a side indicator (1) on the face of the bracket assembly. Refer to the illustration to view the bracket assembly and location of the side indicator.

3. Assemble and install the new bracket assembly.

3.1.	Install the bulb, PN 12450108, into the socket in the bracket assembly.

3.2.	Position the bulb into the lamp assembly opening and slide the bracket over the two lamp studs.

3.3.	Install the upper two nuts onto the tail lamp assembly, securing the bracket assembly.

Notice: Refer to the Fastener Notice in Cautions and Notices, SI document number 9788.

Tighten
Tighten the nuts to 3.5 N·m(31 lb in).

3.4.	Attach the loose connector from the bracket assembly to the connector on the tail lamp assembly.

3.5.	Attach the body harness connector to the fixed connector on the bracket assembly.

4. Perform the repair procedure on the other tail lamp. Perform Steps 1 - 3.5 and then proceed to Step 5.
5. Verify the function of all tail lamp bulbs.



6. Install both of the interior access panels.
7. Close the liftgate.

Customer requests for reimbursement of previously paid repairs to correct the recall condition are to be submitted by November 30, 2006.

All reasonable customer paid receipts should be considered for reimbursement. The amount to be reimbursed will be limited to the amount the repair would have cost if completed by an authorized General Motors dealer.

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

Claims for customer reimbursement on previously paid repairs are to be submitted as required by WINS.

Important: Refer to the GM Service Policies and Procedures Manual, section 1.6.2, for specific procedures regarding customer reimbursement verification.

All customer requests for reimbursement for previous repairs for the recall condition are handled by submitting a recall reimbursement claim form directly to Saturn retailers for processing; however, if customers choose, they may file a claim through the Saturn Customer Assistance Center.

A Saturn Customer Reimbursement Procedure and Claim Form is included with the customer letter.

Submit a Product Recall Claim with the information indicated below:

Refer to the General Motors WINS Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Recall Claim Submission.

1. To receive credit, submit a claim with the information below:

2. Check your Saturn SERVICELINE.XL Claim Memorandum daily. Remember to code the claim as a WC sale type, and VC case type. Contact your field representative if you need assistance.

3. To receive credit for loaner/rental car costs, submit a claim with the information below:

Customer Reimbursement Claims - Special Attention Required

Customer reimbursement claims must have the date of the (service repair) prior replacement entered into the "repair date" field of the CSO in the "Labor Detail/Comments" screen.

Customer reimbursement claims must have the mileage of the prior repair of the (service repair) entered on the "Service Order Hub" screen in the "miles in" field.

Customer reimbursement claims must have entered into the "technician comments" field the CSO # (if repair was completed at a Saturn Retail Facility) date, mileage, customer name, and any deductibles and taxes paid by the customer.

Customer reimbursement claims must be submitted on a different CSO than the Recall repair. This is because the repair date and mileage differ between the two repairs.

Saturn will notify customers of this recall on their vehicle (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin).

The US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides that each vehicle that is subject to a recall 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 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. In the recall notification letters, customers are told how to contact the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if the recall is not completed within a reasonable time.

All unsold new vehicles in retailers' possession and subject to this recall must be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this recall bulletin before customers take possession of these vehicles.

Retailers are to service all vehicles subject to this recall 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 retailer listing, are to be contacted by the retailer. Arrangements are to be made to make the required correction according to the instructions contained in this bulletin. A copy of the customer letter is provided in this bulletin for your use in contacting customers. Recall follow-up cards should not be used for this purpose, since the customer may not as yet have received the notification letter.

Dear Saturn 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 2000-2002 Saturn LS and 2000-2004 Saturn LW vehicles. The tail lamp housing can become distorted if the brake lamps remain on for an extended period of time. This distortion could cause the brake and/or tail lamps to become inoperative. Reduced visibility or lack of braking indication to following drivers could contribute to a vehicle crash.

Your Saturn retailer will install two new tail lamp reinforcing socket adapters and sockets. This service will be performed for you at no charge .

Please contact your Saturn retailer as soon as possible to arrange to have this service performed. To allow for effective service scheduling and required paperwork your Saturn retailer will need your vehicle for some period of time. However, once the work begins, the actual service correction will only take approximately 15 minutes to perform.

To limit any possible inconvenience, we recommend that you contact your Saturn retailer as soon as possible to schedule an appointment for this repair. By scheduling an appointment, your retailer can ensure that the necessary parts will be available on your scheduled appointment date. Should your retailer be unable to schedule a service date within a reasonable time, you should contact the Saturn Customer Assistance Center at. 1-800-972-8876. The deaf, hearing impaired, or speech impaired should call Text Telephone (TTY), 1-800-833-6000. The Customer Assistance Center’s hours of operation are from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM, EST, Monday through Friday.

If, after contacting the Saturn 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 40990; or call the toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Federal regulation requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days.

If you have already paid for some or all of the cost to have your brake lamps and/or tail lamps replaced for this condition, you will be eligible for reimbursement. If the repair was performed by a Saturn retail facility, please contact your nearest Saturn Retailer to discuss reimbursement. The facility will have all the necessary documentation to process your reimbursement. If the repair was performed by a non-Saturn facility, your Retailer will need your original paid receipts or invoices verifying the repair, proof of payment, and proof of ownership of the vehicle at the time of the repair. Once parts are available, it will still be necessary to have this recall repair performed on your vehicle, even if you have had previous repairs to the tail lamps.

We sincerely regret any inconvenience or concern this situation may cause you. We want you to know that we will do our best, throughout your ownership experience, to ensure that your Saturn provides you many miles of enjoyable driving.

Saturn

Enclosure

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Dear Saturn Owner:

General Motors has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2000-2002 Saturn LS and 2000-2004 Saturn LW vehicles. The tail lamp housing can become distorted if the brake lamps remain on for an extended period of time. This distortion could cause the brake and/or tail lamps to become inoperative. Reduced visibility or lack of braking indication to following drivers could contribute to a vehicle crash.

Your Saturn retailer will install two new tail lamp reinforcing socket adapters and sockets. This service will be performed for you at no charge.

You may be contacted by a Retailer other than the Retailer who sold or is currently servicing your vehicle. Please be advised that you may take your vehicle to the Saturn facility of your choice to have the recall service work completed. Please contact your Saturn Retailer as soon as possible to arrange a service date.

If parts are required, ask your Retailer for details regarding their availability. If parts are not in stock, they can be ordered before scheduling your service date.

This letter identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this letter to your Retailer will assist their Service personnel in completing the necessary correction to your vehicle in the shortest possible time.

If you have paid to have this recall condition corrected prior to this notification, and you have not received reimbursement under a Vehicle Service Contract, you should contact your retailer to seek reimbursement. Please provide your retailer 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. Your request for reimbursement, including the information and documents mentioned above, must be received by your retailer by November 30, 2006. Reimbursement may be limited to the amount the repair would have cost if completed by an authorized Saturn Retailer.

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.

Customer Support Department

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