CAMPAIGN: ACCELERATOR CONTROL CABLE BINDING
MODELS AFFEClED: 1987 ELECTRA/PARK AVENUE
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 adequately 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 which is being sent to owners, the owners are being instructed to contact the Buick Home Office if their dealer does not remedy the condition within five (5) days of the agreed service date. If the condition is not remedied within a reasonable time, the owners are instructed on how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
CONDITION
General Motors has detemined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1987 Electra and Park Avenue model vehicles. Some of these vehicles may have excessive accelerator cable friction restricting the cable's free movement between the accelerator pedal and the throttle body. This friction could be sufficient to prevent the throttle from returning to the closed (idle) position when the accelerator pedal is released. In this event, engine speed may not decrease to a level anticipated by the operator. Loss of accelerator control could result in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
DEALER ACTION
To prevent this condition, dealers are to inspect and, if replace the accelerator control cable on suspected vehicles, per the Vehicles Involved and Technical Procedure sections of this bulletin. Procedure
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are certain 1987 Electra/Park Avenue model vehicles produced within the following VIN breakpoints:
Model Year Plant Beginning Through & Including ---------- ----- --------- ------------------- 1987 Wentzville H1475084 H1485792
DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY
Dealers are to service all vehicles involved in this campaign at no charge to owners, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership. Whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign is taken into your new or used car inventory, or it is in your dealership for service in the future, you should take the steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before reselling or releasing the vehicle.
Owners of vehicles recently sold from your new vehicle inventory are to be contacted by the dealer and arrangements made to make the required modification according to instructions contained in this bulletin.
DEALER MATERIAL
If your dealership has vehicles involved in this campaign, you will receive the following items:
List of all vehicles involved in this campaign shipped to your dealership.
One (1) Campaign Identification Label per vehicle involved.
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 will enable dealers to follow-up with owners involved in this campaign.
These computer listinqs 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 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 (DCS) 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 DCS, the need to send a CVAR form for that vehicle is eliminated. Terminal input instructions are covered in the DCS Manual under Section 9,Page 9-J01A and B.
PARTS INFORMATION
Parts are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). To ensure these parts are obtained as soon as possible, they should be ordered from GMSPO on a C.I.O. order, with NO special instruction code; but order on an Advise Code (2).
Description Part Number Quantity/Vehicle ----------- ----------- ----------------- Cable, Accelerator 25533934 1 (As Required)
It is estimated that 25% of involved vehicles will require an accelerator control cable. Dealers should adjust their orders accordingly.
TECHNICAL PROCEDURE
1. Open hood, install left fender cover.
2. Inspect accelerator control cable identification band for identification (Figure 1):
If band identification is RKS, proceed to Step 3. If band identification is RKT, proceed to Step 10.
3. Inspect accelerator control cable underside at the throttle body end for a four digit, white date code (Figure 1). This can be done with a small mirror, such as a dental mirror:
If code is 7113 up to and including 7125, proceed to Step 4.
If code is not in the 7113 up to and including 7125, proceed to Step 10.
4. Remove retainer that attaches accelerator control cable to throttle body stud (Figure 1, View A).
5. Remove accelerator control cable from engine mounted bracket by depressing accelerator control cable locking tangs. (Figure 1. View B).
6. Remove lower instrument panel sound insulators and disengage accelerator control cable retainer from accelerator pedal (Figure 2). Remove retainer collar and reuse on new accelerator control cable.
7. Depress accelerator control cable locking tangs at front of dash and remove cable (Figure 1, View B).
Install new accelerator control cable by reversing the removal procedure. Observe the following during installation of the new accelerator control cable:
Cable Installation
Accelerator control cable must be installed in the front of dash prior to assembly to the engine.
Accelerator control cable must not be subject to sharp bends during installation.
Accelerator control cable must be routed smoothly and freely of wires, hoses, or other obstructions between conduit fittings.
Accelerator control cable must be routed under TV cable.
During installation, the braided portion of the accelerator control cable must not come in contact with front of dash sealer. This may be accomplished by pulling back on throttle end of accelerator control cable, keeping braided cable at accelerator pedal end within outer conduit while inserting in front of dash.
Locking tangs must be expanded and locked in their attaching holes.
Cable connection to Accelerator Pedal
Install retainer collar from old accelerator control cable into new accelerator control cable. Refer to Figure 2.
Slip accelerator control cable through slot in lever and then install retainer in lever, being sure it is seated. Care must be utilized in pressing the retainer into hole in lever to assure the accelerator control cable is not kinked or damaged in any way (Figure 2).
Cable Connection To Throttle Body Stud
Retainer must be installed with tang secured over head of stud (Figure 1, View A).
8. Tube accelerator control cable pivot points with accelerator linkage lubricant, GM Part number 1052541, or equivalent.
9. Check to ensure that all components are installed correctly and that linkage and accelerator control cable is not rubbing or binding in any manner. Throttle should operate freely without binds between fully closed and wide open throttle.
10. Install a Campaign Identification Label Install 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 compaigned. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or ballpoint pen. When installing label, clean the surface of the radiator support tie bar and apply the campaign label where it is readily visible.
DISPOSITION OF PARTS
Replaced parts must be held for disposition by Buick Zone or Branch contact personnel. Parts must have a claim tag attached showing the repair order and the VIN of the vehicle from which they were removed.
WARRANTY INFORMATION
LIST THE OK APPLICABLE LABOR OPERATION. A separate repair order must be used for each vehicle. A completed warrarty claim is to be kept as a permanent record of completion.
SUBLET PART PARTS FAILURE LABOR LABOR OTHER DEALER OPER. COUNT PART NO. ALLOW. CODE OP NO HOURS HOURS MTL TWG ----- ----- -------- ----- ---- ----- ----- ----- ------- Inspect accelerator control cable
- - - 96 V4680 .2 *.l --
Inspect and replace accelerator control cable
1 25533934 ** 96 V4681 .4 *.l --
* Campaign Administration Allowance
** The "Parts Allowance" should be the sum total of the current GMSPO dealer net price, plus 30% of all parts required for the repair.
Dear Buick Owner:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
REASON FOR RECALL
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1987 Electra and Park Avenue model vehicles. Some of these vehicles may have excessive accelerator cable friction restricting the cable's free movement between the accelerator pedal and the throttle body. This friction could be sufficient to prevent the throttle from returning to the closed (idle) position when the accelerator pedal is released. In this event, engine speed may not decrease to a level anticipated by the operator. Loss of accelerator control could result in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
WHAT WE WELL DO
To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, the accelerator control cable will be inspected and, if required, replaced. This service will be perfomed for you at no charge.
WHAT YOU SHOULD D0
Contact your Buick dealer as soon as possible after the parts availability date shown below, to arrange a service date. Instructions for this service have been sent to your dealer. It is anticipated that parts will be available May 20, 1988. The labor time to inspect your vehicle is about fifteen (15) minutes. If replacement of the accelerator control cable is required, an additional fifteen (15) minutes will be required. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to process your vehicle.
An excessively high engine idle speed or failure of the vehicle to slow down as expected may be an indication of a stuck throttle. In the event a stuck throttle is suspected, the driver should apply the service brake firmly and shift the transmission to neutral.
Your Buick 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 he does not remedy this condition on that date or within five (5) days, we recommend you contact the Buick Customer Assistance Center, Flint Home Office by calling 1-800-521-7300. The Customer Assistance Center will assist you and your dealer in getting your vehicle serviced.
After contacting your dealer and the Flint home office, 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 owner reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist in providing the necessary service in the shortest possible time. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please let us know by completing the postage paid 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.
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.
