CAMPAIGN: REAR BRAKE HOSES FAIL FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS

MODELS AFFECTED: 1982 Centurys and Skylarks

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 adeouately 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 the 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 nearest Buick Zone Office if their dealer does not remedy the condition within five 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.

DEFECT INVOLVED

General Motors has determined that some rear brake hoses used on certain 1982 Centurys and Skylarks fail to confom to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 106-74 (Brake Hoses). These hoses were not fully seated into their end fittings when the fittings were crimped onto the hose at time of manufacture. As a result these hoses might separate from the end fittings when subjected to the pull force required by the FMVSS 106/74 tensile strength test.

Such a separation would result in a loss of brake fluid and a partial loss of braking action. Because these vehicles are equipped with dual braking system, part of the system will remain functional allowing the vehicle to be stopped but over a greater distance. Should a partial loss of braking action occur while the vehicle is in motion at a time when minimum stopping distances are required, a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.

DEALER ACTION

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring on vehicles involved, dealers are to determine if rear brake hoses were incorrectly manufactured, and replace as required. Refer to Technical Procedures of this bulletin.

DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY

Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this campaign, at no charge to owners, reoardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward.

This bulletin is notice to you that the new motor vehicles incluced in this campaign may not comply with the standard identified above. Under Sections 108 and 114 of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, it is illegal for a dealer to sell a new motor vehicle which the dealer knows does not comply with an applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. As a consequence, if you sell any of these motor vehicles without first perfoming the campaian correction, your dealership may be subject to a civil penalty up to $1,000 for each such sale.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

Certain 1982 Centurys and Skylarks within the following serial numbers:

Model Assembly Plant Beginning Up to & Including

Century Oklahoma City C6400001 C6400302 Skylark Tarrytown CT134549 CT135022

DEALER MATERIAL

List of all vehicles invelved in this campaign shipped to your dealership.

One campaign identification label for each vehicle involved.

One Special Tool - "Hose Gage" will be furnished to each Dealer under separate cover. Refer to Figure 1.

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 Motur 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.

TRANSFER OF VEHICLE

If a vehicle has been transferred or sold to another location, please forward Campaign Identificaitor Label and vehicle information for this vehicle to your Buick Zone Office for handling with the proper dealer.

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 an S-866 Form for that vehicle is eliminated. Teminal input instructions are covered in the D.C.S. Manual under Section 9, Page 9-J01A and B.

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).

PARTS INFORMATION

Rear Brake Hose, Part Number 9767287, if required for this campaign is to be obtained from WDDGM. Very few hoses will require replacement on vehicles irspected.

To ensure this part will be obtained as soon as possible, it should be ordered from GM Part (WDDGM) on a C.I.O. order with no special instruction code, but order on an advise code (2).

TECHNICAL PROCEDURE

A rear brake hose that had the fittings incorrectly installed will be longer than one correctly manufactured. The furnished Hose Gage is to be used to detemine if a hose on a vehicle involved requires replacement. Refer to Figure 1. This hose gage will be shipped to each dealer under separate cover.

A. Inspection

1. Raise vehicle on a hoist which allows access to rear brake hoses.

2. Check length of both rear brake hoses using furnished hose gage to determine if replacement is required.

a) Place small (square) end of gage against hose fitting flange at axle control arm. Refer to Figure 2.

b) While holding small end of gage against fitting flange place gage around hose as shown in Figure 2. Lightly press hose and gage together as shown in Figure 3 to ensure gage follows contour of hose.

Hose does not require replacement if large (rounded) end of gage contacts or extends beyond hose fitting flange located at body bracket. (View A and B, Figure 2).

Hose is to be replaced if large (rounded) end of gage does not contact hose filtting flange locted at body bracket. (View C, Figure 2)

B. Rear Brake Hose Replacement - Refer to Figure 4.

1. Clear dirt and foreign material from pipe and hose fittings.

2. With aid of a backup wrench, disconnect brake pipe fitting on both ends of brake hose.

3. Remove retaining clips from both ends of hose fittings.

4. Install new hose by reversing removal procedure. Tighten pipe fittings to 15 N.m (11 lb. ft.).

5. Fill and maintain brake fluid level in master cylinder reservoir and bleed applicable brake system.

6. Check brake pedal operation and inspect hose and pipe fittings for leaks. Connect as required.

C. Install campaign identification label.

Each vehicle modified in accordance with the instructions outlined herein will require a Campaign Identification Label. Each label provides a space to include the Campaign Nuummber, the five (5) digit Dealer Code of the dealer perfoming 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 fan shroud and apply the Campaign Label.

DISPOSITTON OF PARTS

Replaced hose must be held for disposition by Buick Contact Personnel. Part must have a claim tag attached, showing the repair order and the VTP of the vehicle from which it was removed.

WARRANTY INFORMATION

Dealers are to submit each campaigned vehicle as a separate case or the one-line Warranty Document Fom S-764. Dealers submitting warranty claims by teletype terminal are to transmit Campaign completions as a separate case also.

LABOR AND PARTS CREDIT

SUBLET PART FAILED PARTS FAILURE LABOP LABOR OTHER DEALER OPER. COUNT PART NO. ALLOW. CODE OP. NO. HOURS HOURS MTL.TWG.

Inspect Hoses - 96 V1550 .3 *.1

Inspect Both Hoses, Replace One 1 9767287 **$6.09 96 V1551 .5 *.1

Inspect Both Hoses, Replace Both 2 9767287 ***$12..19 96 V1552 .7 *.1

*.1 hour for administration

**Parts Credit is for dealer price of hose part number 9767287 ($3.55) plus 30% ($1.06) and 1/2 pint of brake fluid ($1.14) plus 30% ($ .34).

***Parts Credit is for dealer price of 2 hoses part number 9767287 ($7.10) plus 30% ($2.13) and 1 pint of brake fluid ($2.26) plus 30% ($ .68).

To assure accurate records of all transactions on this Campaign, it is recommended that Campaign repairs for each vehicle be listed on a separate repair order. Other repairs performed to the vehicle may 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.

Dear Buick Owner

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

General Motors has determined that some rear brake hoses used on certain 1982 Centurys and Skylarks fall to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 106-74 (Brake Hoses). These hoses were not fully seated into their end fittings when the fittings were crimped onto the hose at time of manufacture. As a result these hoses might separate from the end fittings when subjected to the pull force required by the FMVSS 106/74 tensile strength test.

Such a separation would result in a loss of brake fluid and a partial loss of braking action. Because these vehicles are equipped with a dual braking system, part of the system will remain functional allowing the vehicle to be stopped but over a greater distance. Should a partial loss of braking action occur while the vehicle is in motion at a time when minimum stopping distances are required, a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring on your vehicle, your Buick dealer will inspect both rear brake hoses on your vehicle to detemine if they were incorrectly manufactured. If required, the brake hose(s) will be replaced. This service will be performed at no charge to you.

Instructions for making this inspection and replacement, have been sent to your Buick dealer. It is estimated that parts will be available to your dealer on Fehruary 4, 1983. Please contact your dealer to arrange a mutually satisfactory service date. The labor time necessary to perform this inspection is approximately 15 minutes. Hose replacement, if required, will take approximately 10 minutes additional time per hose. Please allow additional time for the dealer to process your vehicle.

Your Buick dealer is best equipped to provide service to ensure your vehicle is corrected as promptly as possible. However, if you take your vehicle to your dealer on the agreed service date and they do not remedy this condition on that date or within five days, we recommend you contact the nearest Buick Zone Office, either in person or by telephone. The Zone Office will assist you and the dealer in getting your vehicle corrected. The locations and telephone numbers of the Zone Offices are listed in your Owner's Manual.

After contacting your dealer and the Zone Office, if you are still not satisfied that we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge within a reasonable time, you may wish to write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington. D.C. 20590, or call 800-424-9393 (Washington. D.C. residents use 426-0123).

The enclosed owner reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist them in making the necessary correction to your vehicle in the shortest possitle time. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please let us know by completing the postage paid owner 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.