Product Safety - Ignition Control Module Replacement

This Product Recall Bulletin has been revised to update information in the Owner Letter and to include a Product Recall Customer Reimbursement Procedure and Product Recall Customer Reimbursement Claim Form. This Product Recall Bulletin supersedes bulletin number 03-C-06, which should be discarded.

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 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 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 letter, customers are told how to contact the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if the recall is not completed within a reasonable time.

Saturn has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in 2000, 2001, 2002 and certain 2003 Saturn L-Series vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder 2.2L (L61) engines. A failure of the ignition control module in these vehicles may cause deterioration in idle quality, reduction in overall engine power and the vehicle may be hard to start. Continued operation of the vehicle after such an ignition module failure will result in the "Service Engine Soon" light flashing, and may lead to secondary failures of the catalytic converter, oxygen sensor, and exhaust resonator. Failure of the resonator will cause increased exhaust noise and prolonged operation of the vehicle following a resonator failure may lead to an undercar fire without other prior warning.

Retailers will (1) replace the ignition control module, or (2) replace the ignition control module and spark plugs, or (3) replace the ignition control module and spark plugs and update the powertrain control module calibration on certain vehicles.

2000, 2001, 2002 and certain 2003 Saturn L-Series vehicles equipped with 4-Cylinder 2.2L (L61) engines within the following VIN range will require this recall:

YY600001 - YY703800

1Y500001 - 1Y600000

2Y500001 - 2Y601000

3Y500001 - 3Y579749

You must verify recall involvement through your AS400 system. It is important to note that recall claims will only be paid on involved vehicles.

Owners of all involved vehicles will be notified of this recall by Saturn at a later date. (Refer to the owner letter included in this bulletin.)

A list of vehicles assigned to you (Facility VIN Listing), which our records indicate were sold by or shipped to you, (or are located in close proximity to your facility) will be provided to you when it is available.

The listing will contain:

Those Retailers not involved initially in this recall will receive a message at the top of a blank Facility VIN Listing that states: NO VEHICLES ASSIGNED AT THIS TIME FOR RECALL 03-C-06.

All unsold vehicles in Retailers’ possession and subject to this recall must be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this recall bulletin before owners take possession of these vehicles.

Retailers are to service all vehicles subject to this recall at no charge to owners, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward.

Owners 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 procedure contained in this bulletin. This could be done by mailing to such customers, a copy of the customer letter accompanying this bulletin. Recall follow-up cards should not be used for this purpose, since the customer may not have received the notification letter.

In summary, whenever a vehicle subject to this recall enters your vehicle inventory, or is in your retail facility for service in the future, you must take the steps necessary to be sure the recall correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.

All customer requests for reimbursement for previous repairs for the recall condition may be handled by the Retailer or the Saturn Customer Assistance Center.

A Saturn Product Recall Customer Reimbursement Procedure Form will be included with the customer letter.

Saturn vehicles that have been sold by you, which may be closer in proximity to another Saturn Retailer, may still appear on your Facility VIN Listing. If either you or the vehicle owner determines that it is more desirable for a vehicle on your Facility VIN Listing to be serviced by another Saturn Retailer, or if the customer’s address has recently changed, recall responsibility may be transferred by completing the following:

A copy of the Recall Vehicle Action Report is included for your reference. Additional copies can be ordered from Saturn Publications (1-800-828-2112, prompt 3, Item # S032002RVAR). All changes to recall responsibility will be reflected in your next Unfixed VIN Report.

All other changes in vehicle status (e.g., scrapped, stolen, etc.) are to be made in accordance with section 4.4.3 of the Retailer Service Reference Guide, "Notifying Saturn of Vehicle Status Change."

1. A pre-shipment of ignition control modules and spark plugs required to perform this recall will be automatically sent to you from Saturn Service Parts Operations (SSPO) prior to the mailing of recall owner letters beginning late July. These initial shipments are to aid Retailers in recall preparation and ensure minimal customer inconvenience. In addition, stocking policy recommendations will be sent to aid in the completion of this recall. Please approve your recommended stocking policies. Further shipments will automatically be sent after your initial shipment based on stocking policies.
2. Should you require any additional parts, please contact your Parts Support Analyst (PSA) and we will expedite the shipment.

Retailers will scrap all replaced parts in a manner that ensures that they cannot be reused, remanufactured, or otherwise entered into the stream of commerce in the future.

As you know, Saturn's success hinges upon our ability to execute superior customer support throughout the ownership experience, especially when important corrective actions such as this are required. It is imperative that every effort is made to accommodate the affected owners. Additionally, priority should be given to customer vehicles over retail inventory vehicles. If you have any questions, please coordinate with the Saturn Customer Assistance Center to help ensure customer satisfaction.

1. The required service procedure is determined by the model year of the vehicle.

•	2000 or 2001: Perform steps 2, 4 and 5. (Replace spark plugs and ignition control module [ICM].)

•	2002: Perform steps 2, 3, 4 and 5. (Update powertrain control module [PCM] calibration as needed; replace spark plugs and ICM.)

•	2003: If vehicle identification number (VIN) is 3Y530041 or lower, perform steps 2, 3, 4 and 5. (Update PCM calibration as needed; replace spark plugs and [ICM].) If VIN is 3Y530042 or higher, determine repair steps required based on engine unit number (EUN) as follows:

-	EUNs up to and including 211019999, perform steps 2, 4 and 5. (Replace spark plugs and ignition control module.)

-	EUNs from 211020001-304220120, perform step 5. (Replace ICM.)

-	EUNs greater than 304220121 are not involved in the recall. No action is required.




2. Remove ignition coil housing assembly.

2.1.	Turn ignition Off.

2.2.	Remove terminal position assurance (TPA) device from powertrain control module (PCM)/ignition coil module (ICM) connector.

2.3.	Disconnect PCM/ICM electrical connector.

2.4.	Remove ignition coil housing attachment bolts and remove ignition coil housing.

Important: Step 3 applies only to 2002 and certain 2003 model year vehicles, as indicated in step 1.

3. Using a portable scan tool, check current PCM calibration ID. Refer to 2002 or 2003 Model Year Calibration Table below, as appropriate.




Notice: This engine has an aluminum cylinder head. Do not remove the spark plugs from a hot engine. Removing spark plugs from a hot engine may cause cylinder head damage. Before spark plugs are removed, allow the engine to cool to below 49° C (120° F).

4. Replace spark plugs.

Important: Ensure water and debris are blown out of spark plug holes before removing spark plugs.

4.1.	Remove old spark plugs using a 5/8 in. spark plug socket.

Spark Plug Gap
1.1 mm (0.45 in.)

Notice: Do NOT coat spark plug threads with anti-seize compound. If anti-seize compound is used and spark plugs are over-torqued, damage to the cylinder head threads may result.

4.2.	Install new spark plugs (P/N 12569190).

Tighten
Spark Plugs: 20 N·m(15 ft-lbs)

4.3.	Apply dielectric compound to spark plug boots and make sure no corrosion is present.




5. Replace ignition control module (ICM) (P/N 12580215).

5.1.	Remove attachment screws from ICM and remove ICM. Ensure that old ICM electrical connector and seal are removed from ignition coil housing.

5.2.	Apply dielectric grease to all terminals on both ends of the new ICM electrical connector.

5.3.	Install new seal onto the new ICM electrical connector.

5.4.	Install ICM electrical connector into the new ICM prior to installing the ICM onto the coil housing assembly.

5.5.	Install ICM to ignition coil housing assembly.

5.6.	Install ICM attachment screws

Tighten
ICM-to-Ignition Coil Housing Screws: 1.5 N·m(13 in-lbs)

Important: Perform steps 5.7 - 5.8 only if coil housing has been removed.

5.7.	Install ignition coil housing with spark plug boots to camshaft cover.

5.8.	Install ignition coil housing attachment bolts.

Tighten
Ignition Coil Housing Bolts: 10 N·m (89 in-lbs)

5.9.	Connect PCM/ICM electrical connector. Push in connector until a click is heard to confirm positive engagement.

5.10.

Install TPA device into PCM/ICM connector.

6. Test drive vehicle to verify no ignition-related conditions are present.
7. Affix Recall Identification Label on a clean and dry surface of radiator core support, in an area clearly visible when hood is raised. (For more information, refer to "RECALL IDENTIFICATION LABEL" in this bulletin.)

Upon completion of the recall, a Recall Identification Label and Clear Protective Cover should be affixed on a clean, dry surface of the radiator core support in an area clearly visible when the hood is raised. Each label provides a space to print in ink (or type) the recall number (03-C-06) and the five (5) digit facility code of the retailer performing the recall service.

As a reminder, additional labels may be ordered from Saturn publications (1-800-828-2112, prompt 3, Item Number S03 00013A for the Recall Identification Label, and item number S03 00013B for the Clear Protective Cover).

1. To receive credit for replacing the ignition control module (ICM), submit a claim with the information provided in Table A.
2. To receive credit for loaner/rental car cost or other goodwill expenses, submit a claim with the information provided in Table B.
3. Retailers are empowered to use good judgement regarding loaner/rental cars or any other goodwill expenses deemed necessary. It will not be necessary to call the Saturn Customer Assistance Center for authorization of goodwill. The Goodwill Worksheet (printed toward the back of this bulletin) must be used to document goodwill expenses. The completed Goodwill Worksheet must be attached to the hard copy of the CSO. Retailers are to make sufficient copies of the blank Goodwill Worksheet to document goodwill expenses.
4. 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.
5. All labor operations claimed in this bulletin must be submitted on individual (unrelated) CSO lines. Refer to the Customer Service Order Preparation Manual for details on Product Recall Claim Submission.
6. Customer Reimbursement Claims - Special Attention Required.

•	Customer reimbursement claims must have the date of the ignition control module 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 ignition control module replacement 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.

*The parts allowance should be the sum total of the current SSPO retailer net price plus 40% of all parts required for the repair.

**Recall administration allowance

***Net amount must be submitted as a miscellaneous sale...Loaner reimbursement not to exceed $30/day

**** Enter number of days vehicle was rented...Not to exceed 1 day.

***** Customer requests for reimbursement of previously paid repairs to replace the ignition control module.

August, 2003

Dear Saturn Owner:

On July 1, 2003 Saturn sent letters to current owners of certain 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 model year L-Series vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder 2.2L (L61) engines to announce a voluntary safety recall, 03C06. In our correspondence we explained that parts inventory was not sufficient to perform all replacements at that time. We asked those owners who were not experiencing the recall condition to wait for a second correspondence, which would indicate that parts were now available.

Today, we are writing to inform you that our parts inventory is now sufficient. Therefore, we urge you to contact your Saturn Retailer as soon as possible to arrange a convenient service appointment. If you have already had the 03C06 recall repair performed, please disregard this letter.

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Saturn has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in 2000, 2001, 2002 and certain 2003 Saturn L-Series vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder 2.2L (L61) engines. A failure of the ignition control module in these vehicles may cause deterioration in idle quality, reduction in overall engine power and the vehicle may be hard to start. Continued operation of the vehicle after such an ignition module failure will result in the "Service Engine Soon" light flashing, and may lead to secondary failures of the catalytic converter, oxygen sensor and exhaust resonator. Failure of the resonator will cause increased exhaust noise and prolonged operation of the vehicle following a resonator failure may lead to an undercar fire without other prior warning.

What will Saturn do:

To prevent this condition from occurring, Retailers will (1) replace the ignition control module, or (2) replace the ignition control module and spark plugs, or (3) replace the ignition control module, spark plugs and update the powertrain control module calibration on certain vehicles. Repairs will take about 1 hour although some additional time may be required for paperwork and processing.

What you should do:

Contact your Saturn Retailer as soon as possible to arrange to have this service performed.

Your Retailer is prepared to perform this service promptly and with minimal inconvenience to you. However, if your car is provided to the Retailer on the agreed service date and the condition is not remedied on that date, or within a reasonable time, please contact the Saturn Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-553-6000 prompt 3, or for the hearing impaired, 1-800-833-6000. We will assist you and the Retailer in getting your car serviced.

If, after contacting your Saturn Retailer and the Saturn Customer Assistance Center, you are still not satisfied we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge, you may wish to write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590, or call 1-800-424-9393 (Washington, DC residents use 202-366-0123).

Reimbursement:

The enclosed form explains what reimbursement is available and how to request reimbursement if you have paid for repairs for the recall condition.

It will still be necessary to have this recall repair performed on your vehicle, even if you have had previous repairs to the ignition control module.

Again, 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.

Sincerely,

Saturn Corporation

03-C-06

If you paid to have this recall condition corrected prior to June 2003, you may be eligible to receive reimbursement.

Requests for reimbursement may include parts, labor, fees and taxes. Reimbursement may be limited to the amount the repair would have cost if completed by an authorized Saturn retailer.

Submitting a recall reimbursement claim directly to your Saturn retailer may expedite processing, however; if you chose, you may file your claim through the Saturn Customer Assistance Center. Your claim will be acted upon within 60 days of receipt.

If your claim is:

Please follow the instructions on the Claim Form provided on the reverse side to file a claim for reimbursement. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact your Saturn retailer or the Saturn Customer Assistance at 1-800-553-6000, prompt 3, or for the hearing impaired, 1-800-833-6000.

Please provide this claim form and the required documents to your Saturn retailer or mail to the following address:

Saturn Corporation

Customer Assistance Center

P.O. Box 1500

Spring Hill, TN 37174

Mail Drop 371-999-S24