Product Safety - Seat Latch Release Lever Actuation

General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2005 model year Chevrolet Uplander and Pontiac Montana SV6 vans. In a severe side impact test, a part of the vehicle deformed and actuated the outboard release handle of a second-row bucket seat and the rear latches became unlatched early during the crash sequence. If the rear latches of the seat are released early in a severe side impact crash, the potential for injury to the occupant of the seat is increased.

Dealers are to remove the seat latch release handle and install a black plastic cap over the exposed metal stud to eliminate the side impact safety concern. Please note that even though the handle is not being replaced, seat functionality is not diminished as the primary release strap remains at the rear of the seat.

Involved are certain 2005 model year Chevrolet Uplander and Pontiac Montana SV6 vans built within these VIN breakpoints:

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

For US

For dealers with involved vehicles, a Campaign Initiation Detail Report containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data has been prepared and will be loaded to the GM DealerWorld, Recall Information website. Dealers that have no involved vehicles currently assigned will not have a report available in GM DealerWorld.

For Canada

For dealers with involved vehicles, a Campaign Initiation Detail Report containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data has been prepared and is being furnished to involved dealers. Dealers that have no involved vehicles currently assigned will not receive a report with the recall bulletin.

For Export

For dealers with involved vehicles, a Campaign Initiation Detail Report containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data has been prepared and is being furnished to involved dealers. Dealers that have no involved vehicles currently assigned will not receive a report with the recall bulletin.

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 other 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 program.

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.

1. Remove the rear seat latch handle screw (1).
2. Remove the rear seat latch handle (2) from the rear seat.
3. Install a new cap over the end of the rod.
4. Repeat steps for the rear seat on the other side of the vehicle, if applicable.

The General Motors Courtesy Transportation program is intended to minimize customer inconvenience when a vehicle requires a repair that is covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. The availability of courtesy transportation to customers whose vehicles are within the warranty coverage period and involved in a product recall is very important in maintaining customer satisfaction. Dealers are to ensure that these customers understand that shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation is available and will be provided at no charge. Dealers should refer to the General Motors Service Policies and Procedures Manual for Courtesy Transportation guidelines.

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.

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

Letters will be sent to known owners of record located within areas covered by the US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. For owners outside these areas, dealers should notify customers using the attached sample letter.

The US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides that each vehicle which 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 dealers' 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.

Dealers 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 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. 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.

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

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

2005 Saturn Relay Vehicles

ATTENTION: ALL SATURN RETAILERS AND AUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERS

Saturn has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2005 model year Saturn Relay vans. In a severe side impact test, a part of the vehicle deformed and actuated the outboard release handle of a second-row bucket seat and the rear latches became unlatched early during the crash sequence. If the rear latches of the seat are released early in a severe side impact crash, the potential for injury to the occupant of the seat is increased.

Saturn retailers will remove the seat latch release handle and install a black plastic cap over the exposed metal stud to eliminate the side impact safety concern. Please note that even though the handle is not being replaced, seat functionality is not diminished as the primary release strap remains at the rear of the seat. This service will be performed at no charge to owners.

2005 Saturn Relay vehicles within the following VIN range will require this recall.

5D122279 - 5D207963

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 located within areas covered by the US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act will be notified of this recall by Saturn. (Refer to the owner letter included in this bulletin.)

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.

Owners who have recently purchased vehicles sold from your vehicle inventory are to be contacted by the retailer and arrangements are to be made to make the required correction according to the procedure contained in this bulletin.

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.

Saturn vehicles that have been sold to 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 # S03 2002RVAR). 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 Policies & Procedures Manual, "Notifying Saturn of Vehicle Status Change."

1. A pre-shipment of the required parts to perform this program has been automatically sent to involved Retailers from Saturn Service Parts Operations (SSPO). These initial shipments are to aid Retailers in program preparation and ensure minimal customer inconvenience.

2. Should you require any additional parts, please contact your Parts Support Analyst (PSA) to expedite parts shipment.

Disposition of Replaced Parts

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. Remove the rear seat latch handle screw (1).
2. Remove the rear seat latch handle (2) from the rear seat.
3. Install a new cap over the end of the rod.
4. Repeat steps for the rear seat on the other side of the vehicle, if applicable.

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.

2005 Saturn Relay (Canada Only)

ATTENTION: SATURN RETAILERS AND AUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERS INCANADA

Saturn has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2005 model year Saturn Relay vans. In a severe side impact test, a part of the vehicle deformed and actuated the outboard release handle of a second-row bucket seat and the rear latches became unlatched early during the crash sequence. If the rear latches of the seat are released early in a severe side impact crash, the potential for injury to the occupant of the seat is increased.

Saturn retailers will remove the seat latch release handle and install a black plastic cap over the exposed metal stud to eliminate the side impact safety concern. Please note that even though the handle is not being replaced, seat functionality is not diminished as the primary release strap remains at the rear of the seat. This service will be performed at no charge to owners.

Involved are certain 2005 Saturn Relay vehicles built within these VIN breakpoints:

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

For retailers with involved vehicles, a Campaign Initiation Detail Report containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data has been prepared, and is being furnished to involved retailers. Retailers that have no involved vehicles currently assigned, will not receive a Campaign Initiation Detail Report.

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.

Parts required to complete this campaign are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). Please refer to your "involved vehicles listing" prior to ordering requirements. 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.

1. Remove the rear seat latch handle screw (1).
2. Remove the rear seat latch handle (2) from the rear seat.
3. Install a new cap over the end of the rod.
4. Repeat steps for the rear seat on the other side of the vehicle, if applicable.

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.

Customers will be notified of this recall on their vehicles by General Motors (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin).

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. 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 as yet 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.

Dear General Motors 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 2005 model year Chevrolet Uplander and Pontiac Montana SV6 vans. In a severe side impact test, a part of the vehicle deformed and actuated the outboard release handle of a second-row bucket seat and the rear latches became unlatched early during the crash sequence. If the rear latches of the seat are released early in a severe side impact crash, the potential for injury to the occupant of the seat is increased.

Your GM dealer will remove the seat latch release handle and install a black plastic cap over the exposed metal stud to eliminate the side impact safety concern. Please note that even though the handle is not being replaced, seat functionality is not diminished as the primary release strap remains at the rear of the seat. This service will be performed for you at no charge .

This service correction will take approximately 15 minutes. However, due to service scheduling requirements, your dealer may need your vehicle for a longer period of time.

To limit any possible inconvenience, we recommend that you contact your GM dealer as soon as possible to schedule an appointment for this repair. By scheduling an appointment, your dealer can ensure that the necessary parts will be available on your scheduled appointment date. Should your dealer be unable to schedule a service date within a reasonable time, you should contact the appropriate Customer Assistance Center at the listed number below. 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 appropriate 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 20590 or call 1-888-327-4236.

The enclosed customer reply form identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this form 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 form and mailing it back to us.

If your vehicle is within the New Vehicle Limited Warranty 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.

This free online service offers vehicle and ownership related information and tools tailored to your specific vehicle. To get the most personalized information for your vehicle, visit www.mygmlink.com , and enter your vehicle's 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN) shown on the enclosed customer reply form.

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

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.

General Motors Corporation

Enclosure

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