CAMPAIGN:EGR VALVE INOPERATIVE EGR VALVE MAY PLUG

MODELS AFFECTED: ALL 1980 BUICKS EQUIPPED WITH FEDERAL 3.8L-2 bbl. (VIN CODE A) ENGINES WITHOUT COMPUTER CONTROLLED EMISSION SYSTEM

THIS BULLETIN SUPERSEDES 80-C-23 GROUP 64, NUMBER 42 DATED MAY, 1984. BECAUSE OF A RECENT COURT RULING, THE PREVIOUS AGE/MILEAGE LIMITATION HAS BEEN DELETED. ALL 1980 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES WITH 3.8L FEDERAL ENGINES ARE TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN REGARDLESS OF AGE OR MILEAGE.

General Motors has determined that some 1980 Buicks equipped with 3.8L-2 bbl. engines may be emitting pollutants in excess of Federal Emission Standards.

The EGR Valve may have a plugged passage causing the EGR Valve not to operate, resulting in an increase of exhaust emissions.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

All 1980 Skyhawks, Centurys, Regals, and LeSabres equipped with Federal 3.8L, 2 bbl. (VIN code A) Buick engines without computer controlled emission systems.

DEALER ACTION

As a result of a recent court decision clarifying the Federal Emission Recall Program, the previous 5 year/50,000 mile limitation has been deleted from Campaign 80-C-23. All vehicles affected by this campaign should be subjected to the technical procedure of this bulletin at no charge to the owner regardless of vehicle age or mileage. If, during this initial inspection, the EGR Valve is found to be inoperative, the valve should be replaced, also at no charge to the owner.

If the valve is functioning satisfactorily, the owner has been requested to have the EGR Valve function checked at 30,000 mile intervals. These 30,000 mile inspections should also be performed at no charge to the owner. However, should any subsequent 30,000 mile inspection indicate EGR valve replacement is necessary, it should be accomplished at no charge to the owner only if the vehicle has less than 50,000 miles.

If there is evidence of intentional disablement of the EGR system, the dealer is to notify the vehicle owner of this condition and ask the owner if he/she wants the system restored. The cost of restoration will be the responsibility of the vehicle owner.

Vehicles in dealer used car inventory are to be campaigned in accordance with the guidelines prescribed in this bulletin, prior to resale of the vehicles.

DEALER MATERIAL

If your dealership has vehicles involved in this campaign, you will receive the following items:

List of vehicles involved in this campaign in the area of your dealership.

One campaign identification label for each vehicle.

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 the 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.

OWNER NOTIFICATION

Owners of vehicles involved in this campaign will be notified by Buick Motor Division (see copy of Owner Letter included with this bulletin).

CHANGE OF OWNER INFORMATION

Dealers are to use the Dealer Communication System (D.C.S.) to provide Buick Motor Division with subsequent Buick owner information. By reporting a change of owner name or address of a vehicle in campaign status over the D.C.S., the need to send in a C.V.A.R. form for that vehicle is eliminated. Terminal input instructions are covered in the D.C.S. Manual under Section 9, page 9-JO1A and B.

PARTS INFORMATION

Dealers are to order EGR Valves from their local GMWDD (EGR Gasket is included with service part):

1980 Federal 3.8L-2 bbl. Buick Engine Without Computer Controlled Emission System -------------------------------------------- Transmission EGR Valve Model Type Service No. ----- ---- ------------ Century and Regal Automatic 17066176 Century Manual 17066236 LeSabre Automatic 17066118 Skyhawk Automatic 17066173 Skyhawk Manual 17066175

DO NOT ORDER VALVE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN UNLESS YOU HAVE VEHICLES INVOLVED. THESE VALVES ARE NON-RETURNABLE.

To ensure a part will be obtained as soon as possible, it should be ordered from GMWDD on a C.I.O. order with no special instruction code, but order on an advise code.

TECHNICAL PROCEDURE

A. Inspection of EGR Valve -

1. Raise vehicle hood and cover fenders.

2. With engine at operating temperature, running at idle and with transmission in "Park," place fingers beneath the EGR Valve in order to contact the diaphragm.

CAUTION:

EGR VALVE MAY BE HOT. WEARING GLOVES IS RECOMMENDED TO AVOID BURNING FINGERS.

3. Rapidly increase engine speed to approximately 2,000 rpm and return to idle. Repeat 4 or 5 times with a pause each time. The diaphragm should have moved up and down during this procedure if system is functioning correctly.

4. If no up or down motion was felt when performing the engine rpm increase sequence, as outlined in step 3, check for vacuum at the EGR Valve hose at the higher engine speeds. If vacuum is present, replace EGR Valve, step B.

5. If EGR Valve functions properly, do not replace valve, install campaign identification label, step C.

B. EGR Valve Replacement -

1. Remove air cleaner assembly.

2. Remove EGR Valve attaching bolts and remove valve. Properly tag valve and hold for disposition by Buick Zone.

3. Remove all traces of gasket material from EGR Valve mounting surface. Do not allow any gasket material to fall into EGR passages.

4. Obtain correct Service EGR Valve (Refer to Parts Information above) and install new valve with new gasket. Tighten bolts to 27 N.m (20 ft. lbs.).

5. Check for proper EGR Valve operation, step A.

6. Install air cleaner and install campaign identification label, step C.

C. Campaign Identification Label Tnstallation Procedure -

Each vehicle inspected or modified in accordance with the instructions outlined in this 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 in the area of Emission Label and apply the campaign label.

DISPOSITION OF PARTS

Replaced parts must be held for disposition by Buick contact personnel. Parts must have a claim tag attached showing the repair order and the VIN of the vehicle from which it was removed.

OWNER REIMBURSEMENT

Owners who have previously paid to have their car repaired because of the vehicle exceeding the original age/mileage limitation have been instructed to present original paid receipts or invoices to receive reimbursement.

If an owner requests reimbursement, the Dealer should bring this to the attention of their Buick District Service Manager for a review.

The District Service Manager will review the request, and, if it is determined the owner is eligible for a reimbursement, a letter of transmittal, along with the owner's original paid receipts, will be forwarded to the Buick Motor Division Home Office, Customer Assistance Department in Flint, Michigan for handling (sample of suggested transmittal letter attached).

The owner should be advised to retain copies of documents for personal records before surrendering the originals. The Buick Home Office will forward all reimbursements directly to owners.

WARRANTY INFORMATION

Dealers are to submit each campaigned vehicle as a separate case on the one-line warranty document, Form S-764. Dealers submitting warranty claims by teletype terminal are to transmit completions as a separate case.

LIST THE ONE APPLICABLE LABOR OPERATION

SUBLET PART FAILED PARTS FAILURE LABOR LABOR OTHER DEALER OPERATION COUNT PART NO. ALLOW. CODE OP.NO. HOURS HOURS MTL.TWG. --------- ----- -------- ------ ---- ------- ----- ----- -------- Check EGR Valve Operation - - - 96 V3250 .2 hr. *.l hr. -

Check EGR Valve Operation and Replace EGR Valve: 1 ** *** 96 V3251 .3 hr. *.l hr. -

* .1 hr. for Administration ** List Service Part Number of Valve *** List current Dealer Price of Service Valve Plus 30%

To assure accurate records of all transactions on this campaign, it is recommended that campaign repairs for each vehicle be listed on the same repair order, and warranty cases other than campaigns may be listed on the same warranty document.

Warranty documents on this campaign are not to be sent to the Zone Office. Send directly to Buick - Flint as is done with normal submissions of warranty documents.

Zone authorization is not required.

SUGGESTED TRANSMITTAL LETTER

TO: Customer Assistance Department

Buick Motor Division General Motors Corporation P.O. Box 1650 Flint, Michigan 48501

FROM:

(Buick District Service Manager)

ZONE___________________ DISTRICT ______________

SUBJECT: EGR Valve May Plug - Campaign 80-C-28

Amount of Reimbursement Requested:__________________________________

OWNER INFORMATION:

___________________________________________________ (Name)

___________________________________________________ (Street)

____________________________________________________ (City) (State) (Zip Code)

Phone Number

VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER_____________________________________

DEALER INFORMATION________________________________________________ (Name)

________________________________________________ (Street)

________________________________________________ (City) (State) (Zip Code)

Please review the attached original owner receipts for consideration of reimbursement.

Signed___________________________________________ District Service Manager

Approved_________________________________________ Zone Service Manager or Asst. Zone Manager-Service

Dear Buick Owner:

General Motors has determined that your vehicle may be emitting pollutants in excess of the Federal emission standards. These standards were established to protect the public health or welfare from the dangers of air pollution.

On some 1980 Skyhawks, Centurys, Regals, and LeSabres equipped with 3.8L 2 bbl. V6 engines, the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Valve may have a plugged passage. This causes the vehicle not to meet applicable government emission requirements. If not repaired, this nonconformity may cause the vehicle to fail an emission inspection test, if required under state or local law.

As a registered owner of the vehicle identified on the enclosed Owner Reply Card, you may have previously received a letter from Buick concerning the possibility of your vehicle experiencing this EGR Valve plugging condition. That previous letter stated that your vehicle would be inspected free of charge regardless of age or mileage of the vehicle. In addition, any EGR Valve found to be inoperative, would be replaced free of charge if no signs of tampering were found and the vehicle was less than five years old and had less than 50,000 miles of operation.

As a result of a recent court decision clarifying the Federal Emission Recall Program, General Motors is withdrawing the previous five year/50,000 mile limitations on eligibility for recall repair. The recall repair will now be accomplished at General Motors' expense regardless of vehicle age or mileage. The repair includes EGR Valve inspection and EGR Valve replacement if necessary. Subsequent EGR Valve inspections are recommended at 30,000 mile intervals. To encourage your participation, General Motors will pay for these 30,000 mile inspections. However, should any subsequent 30,000 mile inspection indicate EGR Valve replacement is necessary, GM will pay for the EGR Valve replacement only if the vehicle has less than 50,000 miles.

If you have previously encountered the plugged EGR Valve condition and paid for all or part of the repairs, please contact your Buick Dealer who will advise you on how to request reimbursement. It will be necessary to present original paid receipts or invoices to verify any expenditures for such repairs so you should have them available when you contact your dealer. You may want to make copies of these documents before providing the originals to your dealer.

If your vehicle has not yet been repaired, please contact your Buick dealer on or after the date shown below to arrange to have the EGR Valve inspected and replaced, if necessary. Should your dealer find that your EGR system has been intentionally disabled at the tirrke this correction is performed, you will be asked if you wish the system to be restored so that it will function as designed. The cost of such restoration will be your responsibility.

Instructions for making this modification have been sent to your dealer. It is estimated that parts will be available at your dealer on April 16, 1986. The labor time necessary to perform this modification is approximately 20 minutes. Please allow additional time for the dealer to process your vehicle.

The enclosed Owner Reply Card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist in making the inspection to your vehicle in the shortest possible time. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please let us know by completing the postage-paid Owner Identification Reply Card and returning it to us so that we may update our records. Should your dealer not schedule a service date within a reasonable time, you should contact the Buick Customer Assistance Department, Flint Home Office, by calling 800-521-7300.

If your dealer or General Motors are unable to remedy this condition within a reasonable time, you may wish to advise the Environmental Protection Agency, at the following address: Director, Manufacturers Operation Division (EN-340), United States Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, S. W. Washington, D. C., 20460.

To ensure your full protection under the emission warranty made applicable to your vehicle by Federal Law, and your right to participate in future recalls, it is recomended that you have your vehicle serviced as soon as possible. Failure to do so could legally be determined to be a lack of proper maintenance of your vehicle.

After this service is initially performed, you should then have it performed as part of your vehicle maintenance at each 30,000 mile interval thereafter. An EGR Maintenance Reminder Card, that should be inserted in your maintenance folder, is enclosed with this letter.

If this inspection is not performed, it is requested that you place this letter in the vehicle glove box for future consideration by a subsequent owner of the vehicle. When this service is performed, the dealer performing the service will install a campaign completion label 80-C-28 on the radiator baffle where it is readily visible.

We are sorry to cause you this inconvenience; however, we have taken this action to assure that your vehicle meets applicable government emission requirements and in the interest of your continued satisfaction with our products. We urge your prompt cooperation in this matter.

Buick Motor 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.