Product Safety 99091 - Windshield Wipers Inoperative/Incorrect Park. Buick Regal 1997

Subject:

99091 -- Windshield Wipers Inoperative/Incorrect Park

Models:

1997 Buick Century, Regal Model Vehicles

1997 Pontiac Grand Prix Model Vehicles

The Highway 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 customer 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 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. As you will see in reading the attached copy of the divisional letter that is being sent to customers, the customers are being instructed to contact the appropriate Customer Assistance Center if their dealer does not remedy the condition within five (5) days of the mutually agreed upon service date. If the condition is not remedied within a reasonable time, they are instructed on how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Condition

General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick Century and Buick Regal model vehicles. The windshield wipers may stop working, usually after operation under heavy load conditions such as accumulated snow or ice, because of a separation between the drive pin and crescent in the crank arm assembly. If this were to occur during driving in adverse weather conditions, driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a vehicle crash without warning.

Correction

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, dealers are to identify affected vehicles by inspecting for the presence of a plastic water deflector and, if necessary, replace the wiper motor crank arm and install a water deflector. On vehicles receiving a replacement crank arm and new water deflector, dealers will also apply additional sealing material to improve water deflection away from the crank arm assembly and will install a reinforcement to improve the performance of the wiper park mechanism.

Vehicles Involved

Involved are certain 1997 Buick Regal/Century and Pontiac Grand Prix model vehicles built within the following VIN breakpoints:

Year	Division	Model	Plant	From	Through
1997	Buick	Century/Regal	Oshawa	V1400001	V1441440
1997	Pontiac	Grand Prix	Fairfax	VF200001	VF329176

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

Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number. Computer listings containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data have been prepared, and are being furnished to involved dealers with the campaign bulletin. The customer name and address data furnished will enable dealers to follow-up with customers involved in this campaign. Any dealer not receiving a computer listing with the campaign bulletin has no involved vehicles currently assigned.

These dealer listings may contain customer 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.

Parts Information

Parts required to complete this campaign 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.

Part Number	Description	Qty/ Vehicle
12494832	Arm Assembly, Windshield Wiper Motor Crank	0 or 1
10411068	Deflector, Windshield Wiper & WSWA Control Module Water (includes push-in retainer)	0 or 1
12345739	Sealant, RTV Silicone Rubber (3.35 oz tube-sufficient for 50 cars)	As Required
11515174	Barrier (Trim as Required) (4-1/2" X 7-1/2") (sufficient for 50 cars)	As Required
10300337	Reinforcement Kit, Windshield Wiper Motor	0 or 1

Customer Notification

Customers will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by General Motors (see copy of typical customer letter included with this bulletin - actual divisional letter may vary slightly).

Dealer Campaign Responsibility

All unsold new vehicles in dealers' possession and subject to this campaign MUST be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this campaign bulletin BEFORE customers take possession of these vehicles.

Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this campaign 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. This could be done by mailing to such customers a copy of the customer letter accompanying this bulletin. Campaign 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 campaign enters your vehicle inventory, or is in your dealership for service in the future, please take the steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.

Service Procedure

Inspection

To determine what repairs need to be performed, you must first determine whether or not the vehicle is equipped with a plastic water deflector over the windshield wiper motor. This can be done either visually or with a small flat bladed screwdriver.

Figure 1


(1)	Screwdriver
(2)	Left Wiper Arm
(3)	Water Deflector Under Leaf Screen
(4)	Leaf Screen

Visual Method

Open the hood and using a flashlight, look down through the leaf screen (4) on the left (driver's) side of the vehicle at the location (3) shown in Figure 1.

•	If the wiper motor crank arm CAN be seen, the vehicle is NOT equipped with the plastic water deflector (3). Proceed to Step 1 of the following service procedure.

•	If the wiper motor crank arm CAN'T be seen, the vehicle IS equipped with the plastic water deflector (3) and no further service is required. Proceed to Step 39 of the following service procedure.

Screwdriver Method

Open the hood and check for the presence of a plastic water deflector (3) by inserting a small (pocket size) flat bladed screwdriver (1) down through one of the small grille openings in the leaf screen (4) directly below the left (driver's) wiper arm as shown in Figure 1.

•	If the screwdriver (1) CAN be inserted MORE THAN 25 mm (1 in) at the location shown, the vehicle is NOT equipped with the plastic water deflector (3). Proceed to Step 1 of the following service procedure.

•	If the screwdriver (1) can only be inserted LESS THAN 25 mm (1 in) at the location shown, the vehicle IS equipped with the new crank arm assembly and no further service is required. Proceed to Step 39 of the following service procedure.

Turn the ignition switch to the ACC position.
Set the wiper switch to the maximum DELAY position.
Wait for the wiper arms to cycle once and stop in the "pause" or "innerwiper" position.
Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position when the wiper arms are in the "pause" or "innerwiper" position and not moving.

Important: Before disconnecting the negative battery cable, record the radio station presets.

Disconnect the negative battery cable.
Place a piece of masking tape on the windshield at the tip of both wiper blades.

The tape will be used for determining correct wiper arm/blade positioning during reinstallation.

Disconnect the washer hose from both wiper arms.
Remove the plastic cover and the attaching nut from each wiper arm and remove the arms using a standard battery cable puller.
Remove the rear hood-to-cowl seal.
Disconnect the washer hose from the leaf screen and remove the leaf screen.

•	On Buick models with a two-piece leaf screen, it is only necessary to remove the left (driver's) side.

•	On Pontiac models with a one-piece leaf screen, it is necessary to remove the complete leaf screen.

Figure 2


(1)	Wiper Arm Linkage
(2)	Crank Arm Cover
(3)	Wiper Motor Crank Arm Retaining Screw
(4)	Hole in Crank Arm for Checking Alignment with 13/64 Drill Bit
(5)	Depressed Park Actuator Arm
(6)	Metal Tab
(7)	Wiper Motor
(8)	Wiper Motor Crank Arm Assembly
(9)	Crank Arm Ball Stud

Disconnect the wiper linkage (1) from the ball stud (9) on the crank arm using J 39232. Refer to Figure 2.

Remove the plastic crank arm cover (2) from the crank arm (8).

Remove the wiper motor crank arm assembly retaining screw (3) and remove the crank arm (8) from the wiper motor shaft. Discard the crank arm assembly and the screw.

To properly align the new crank arm on the motor shaft, gently place the "new" crank arm on the wiper motor shaft. Do not apply any downward pressure.

Figure 3


(1)	Depressed Park Actuator Arm (part of crank arm assembly)
(2)	Metal Tab
(a)	4-6 mm Gap

Important: The crank arm must rotate freely on the motor shaft during the next step. If the crank arm does not move freely, remove it and repeat Step 14.

Rotate the crank arm counterclockwise on the motor shaft until the depressed park actuator arm (1) on the bottom of the crank arm comes in contact or alignment with the metal tab (2) on the wiper motor mounting bracket.

Figure 4


(1)	Incorrect Alignment
(2)	Correct Alignment

•

If the end of the depressed part actuator arm will NOT correctly contact or align with the metal tab as shown in Figure 4, the metal tab on the wiper motor mounting bracket will require straightening prior to installing the reinforcement plate. Remove the crank arm and using pliers or a screwdriver, straighten the metal tab as necessary to get the correct alignment with the depressed park actuator cam.

•	If the end of the depressed park actuator arm DOES correctly contact or align with the metal tab as shown in Figure 4, the metal tab on the wiper motor is positioned correctly and no straightening is required prior to installing the reinforcement plate.

Remove the crank arm assembly.

Figure 5


(1)	Wiper Motor Mounting Bracket
(2)	Metal Tab
(3)	Reinforcement Plate
(4)	Rivets

Position the reinforcement plate (3) on the wiper motor mounting bracket (1) so that it is contacting the metal tab (2) as shown in Figure 5.

Mark and center punch the two reinforcement plate hole locations on the wiper motor mounting bracket.

Prior to drilling, cover the surrounding areas with shop towels.

Important: To avoid damaging the wiper motor housing in the next step, a drill bit travel stop set to a depth of 3/8 inch should be used. If one is not available, slide a piece of 1/4 inch inside diameter (ID) vacuum hose over the drill bit leaving only 3/8 inch of the bit exposed.

While wearing safety glasses, drill two 1/8 inch diameter holes at the locations marked and center punched in Step 18.

After drilling, inspect and remove any burrs from the holes.

Following the rivet gun manufacturer's operating instructions, fasten the reinforcement plate (3) to the wiper motor mounting bracket (1) with the two rivets (4) supplied with the plate.

Figure 6


(1)	Water Deflector
(2)	Water Deflector Retainer
(3)	Wiper Motor Mounting Bracket
(4)	Location for 1/4 Inch Hole
(5)	Wiper Motor Mounting Bracket
(6)	Location for 1/4 Inch Hole

Remove the push-in retainer (2) from the new water deflector (1) and install the deflector over the wiper motor. Refer to Figure 6. When properly installed, the top edge of the deflector will fit below the bottom edge of the windshield.

Mark and center punch the location of the hole (4, 6) to be drilled in the wiper mounting bracket (3, 5) for the deflector push-in retainer (2). Refer to Figure 6.

Important: To avoid damaging the wiper motor housing in the next step, a drill bit travel stop set to a depth of 3/8 inch should be used. If one isn't available, slide a piece of 1/4 inch inside diameter vacuum hose over the drill bit leaving only 3/8 inch of the bit exposed.

Drill a 1/4 inch diameter hole at the location (4, 6) marked on the wiper motor mounting bracket (3, 5).

Carefully remove the shop towels and remove any remaining metal debris from the wiper motor, the bracket and the plenum using compressed air.

Install the new crank arm assembly on the wiper motor shaft while maintaining a 4-6 mm gap (A) between the end of the depressed park actuator arm and the metal tab. Refer to Figure 3. Proper positioning has been achieved if a 13/64 drill bit can be inserted down through the center of the hole (4) in the top of the crank arm and into the threaded hole in the motor housing. Refer to Figure 2.

Important: Firmly hold the crank arm in position to prevent the wiper motor shaft from rotating when tightening the retaining screw in the next step.

Install the crank arm retaining screw.

Tighten
Tighten the retaining screw to 16 N·m (137 lb in).

Install the plastic crank arm cover on the crank arm assembly.

Figure 7


(1)	Crank Arm Cover
(2)	Hole in Crank Arm Cover
(3)	Sealant in Gap Between Crank Arm and Cover
(4)	Sealant in Gap Between Crank Arm and Cover
(5)	Crank Arm Cover
(6)	Barrier Material Covering Hole in Crank Arm Cover

Apply a bead of sealant (3, 4), P/N 12345739 or the equivalent, along the gap between the crank arm cover (1, 5) and the crank arm as shown in Figure 7.

Important: When used as instructed, the sealant and the barrier material listed above can repair approximately 50 vehicles.

Cut a 30 mm (1-3/16 in) square piece of barrier material, P/N 11515174 or the equivalent, and place it over the hole (2) in the crank arm cover as shown in Figure 7. Apply light pressure to the material to ensure a good seal.

If the crank arm cover already has barrier material applied, proceed to the next step.

Install the wiper linkage on the crank arm ball stud using J 39529.

Install the plastic water deflector as shown in Figure 6 with the push-in retainer in the new hole.

Reinstall the leaf screen.

Reconnect the washer hose to the leaf screen.

Reinstall the rear hood-to-cowl seal.

Important: Before installing the wiper arms on the wiper transmissions, the knurls on the transmissions must be clean. Use a suitable wire brush for cleaning.

While aligning the tip of the wiper blade with the masking tape on the windshield, install the wiper arms on the wiper transmissions and tighten the attaching nuts. Then remove the masking tape.

Tighten
Tighten the nuts to 27 N·m (20 lb ft).

Connect the negative battery cable and reset the clock and radio presets.

Turn the ignition switch to the ACC position.

With a "dry" windshield, turn the wiper switch to the OFF position and verify that the wipers park correctly.

Verify that all the wiper functions (delay, low, high, wash, etc.) operate correctly.

Install the GM Campaign Identification Label.

Campaign Identification Label

Each vehicle corrected in accordance with the instructions outlined in this Product Campaign Bulletin will require a "Campaign Identification Label". Each label provides a space to include the campaign number and the five (5) digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or a ball point pen.

Each "Campaign Identification Label" is to be located on the radiator core support in an area which will be visible when the vehicle is brought in by the customer for periodic servicing. When installing the Campaign Identification Label, be sure to pull the tab to allow the adhesion of the clear protective covering. Additional Campaign Identification Labels can be obtained from Dealer Support Materials by calling 1-888-549-6152 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time). Ask for Item Number S-1015 when ordering.

Apply the "Campaign Identification Label" only on a clean, dry surface.

Claim Information

Submit a Product Campaign Claim with the information indicated below.

Repair Performed	Part Count	Part No.	Parts Allow	CC-FC	Labor Op	Labor Hours*	Net Item
Inspect only for presence of water deflector	--	--	--	MA-96	V0515	0.2	--
Inspect for presence of water deflector and replace windshield wiper motor crank arm assembly, install park tab reinforcement, and install wiper motor water deflector (includes time for drilling hole in wiper motor bracket)	2	12494832	**	MA-96	V0516	0.5	***
* -- For Campaign Administrative Allowance, add 0.1 hours to the "Labor Hours". -- The "Parts Allowance" should be the sum total of the current GMSPO Dealer Net price plus applicable Mark-Up or Landed Cost Mark-Up (for IPC) for wiper motor crank arm and water deflector needed to complete the repair. * -- The amount identified in the "Net Item" column should represent the sum total of the Current GMSPO Net Price plus applicable Mark-Up or Landed Cost Mark-Up (for IPC) for RTV silicone and barrier material needed to perform the required repairs.

Repair Performed

Part Count

Part No.

Parts Allow

CC-FC

Labor Op

Labor Hours*

Net Item

Inspect only for presence of water deflector

MA-96

V0515

0.2

Inspect for presence of water deflector and replace windshield wiper motor crank arm assembly, install park tab reinforcement, and install wiper motor water deflector (includes time for drilling hole in wiper motor bracket)

12494832

MA-96

V0516

0.5

***

* -- For Campaign Administrative Allowance, add 0.1 hours to the "Labor Hours".

** -- The "Parts Allowance" should be the sum total of the current GMSPO Dealer Net price plus applicable Mark-Up or Landed Cost Mark-Up (for IPC) for wiper motor crank arm and water deflector needed to complete the repair.

*** -- The amount identified in the "Net Item" column should represent the sum total of the Current GMSPO Net Price plus applicable Mark-Up or Landed Cost Mark-Up (for IPC) for RTV silicone and barrier material needed to perform the required repairs.

Refer to the General Motors Corporation Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Campaign Claim Submission.

Suggested Dealer Letter

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, we will inspect your vehicle and, if necessary, replace the wiper motor crank arm and install a water deflector. If necessary, we will also apply additional sealing material to improve water deflection away from the crank arm assembly and will install a reinforcement to improve the performance of the wiper park mechanism. This service will be provided for you at no charge.

Please contact us as soon as possible to arrange a service date.

We sincerely regret any inconvenience this causes you; however, we have taken this action in the interest of your continued satisfaction with our products.

GMODC

General Motors Corporation

May, 2000

Dear <Division(s)> Customer:

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

Reason For This Recall

General Motors has decided that a defect that relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick Century and Buick Regal model vehicles. The windshield wipers may stop working, usually after operation under heavy load conditions such as accumulated snow or ice, because of a separation between the drive pin and crescent in the crank arm assembly. If this were to occur during driving in adverse weather conditions, driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a vehicle crash without warning.

What Will Be Done

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, your dealer will inspect your vehicle and, if necessary, replace the wiper motor crank arm and install a water deflector. If necessary, your dealer will also apply additional sealing material to improve water deflection away from the crank arm assembly and will install a reinforcement to improve the performance of the wiper park mechanism. This service will be performed for you at no charge .

How Long Will The Repair Take?

The length of time required to perform this service correction is approximately fifty (50) minutes. Additional time may be required to schedule and process your vehicle. If you dealer has a large number of vehicles awaiting service, this additional time may be significant. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to schedule, process and repair your vehicle.

Contacting Your Dealer

Please contact your <<Division>>dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date. Parts are available and instructions for making this correction have been sent to your dealer.

Your <<Division>> dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide services to correct your vehicle as promptly as possible. Should your dealer be unable to schedule a service date within a reasonable time, you should contact the appropriate Customer Assistance/Relations Center at the number listed below:

Division	Number	Deaf, Hearing Impaired, or Speech Impaired*
Buick	1-800-521-7300	1-800-832-8425
Pontiac	1-800-762-2737	1-800-833-7668
* Utilizes Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf/Text Telephones (TDD/TTY)

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 1-800-424-9393 (Washington, DC residents use 202-366-0123).

Customer Reply Card

The attached customer reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card 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 reply card and returning it to us in the postage paid envelope.

Courtesy Transportation

Your dealer will 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.

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.

<Division(s)>

General Motors Corporation

Enclosure