CAMPAIGN: INOPERATIVE BUCKET SEAT BACK LOCKS

MODELS AFFECTED: 1984 CENTURY, REGAL, SKYHAWK, AND SKYLARK TWO-DOOR MODELS WITH BUCKET SEATS

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 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 days of the agreed service date. If the condition is not' remedied within a reasonable time, the owners are instructed how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

CONDITION INVOLVED

General Motors has determined that some 1984 Century, Regal, Skyhawk, and Skylark two-door models have been assembled with bucket seat back locks which fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 207 "Anchorage of Seats." In the event of a vehicle crash, the seat back inertia lock may not function. This would allow the seat back to fold forward, which could increase likelihood of injury to the seat occupant.

DEALER ACTION

Dealers are to inspect the bucket seat back locks on all involved vehicles. Locks which have bent, broken, or missing hooks are to be replaced per the technical procedure in this bulletin. Approximately 10% of the locks will need to be replaced.

DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY

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

Whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign is taken into your new or used vehicle 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.

This bulletin is notice to you that the new motor vehicles.included 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 performing the campaign correction, your dealership may be subject to civil penalty up to $1,000 for each such sale.

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.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

The involved vehicles are 1984 Centurys, Regals, Skyhawks, and Skylarks equipped with bucket seats within the following assembly plants and vehicle breakpoints:

MODEL PLANT FROM THROUGH AND INCLUDING ----- ----- ---- --------------------- Century Oklahoma City E6400001 E6413107 Regal Flint EH400001 EH435708 Skyhawk Leeds EK400001 EK404303 Skylark Willow Run EW400001 EW410479

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. . A campaign idefitification label for each.vehicle on your listing. . A seat back lock checking template furnished by your

Business Management Division.

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. Any dealer not receiving a computer listing with the campaign bulletin was not shipped any involved vehicles.

SPECIAL TOOLS

The checking templates required for this campaign are special tools which are available in limited quantities. Dealers will receive templates from their business management contact division. Dealers should contact their Zone Offices regarding availability of additional templates, if required.

OWNER NOTIFICATION

Owners will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by Buick Motor Division (See copy of Owner Letter included with this bulletin.).

TRANSFER OF VEHICLE

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

CHANGE OF OWNER INFORMATION

Dealers are to use the Dealer Comunication System (D.C.S.) to provide Buick Motor Division with subsequent Buick Owner Information. By reporting a change of owner name or address of vehicle in campaign status over the D.C.S., the need to send in an S-866 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

Parts will be available the week of February 27, 1984.

The parts, when required, are to be obtained from WDDGM. Refer to the chart below to obtain the correct seat back lock.

MODEL DESCRIPTION PART NUMBER

Century, Regal Passenger Seat Recliner Lock = 20329438 Skyhawk, Skylark Century, Regal Skyhawk, Skylark Driver Seat Recliner Lock = 20329439

Skyhawk Passenger Seat Easy Entry = 20383819 (Option AF5) Lock

Approximately 10% of the seat back locks will need to be replaced. To avoid stock overages, do not over order your requirements. Check your VIN computer list and order parts for about 10% of these vehicles. If necessary, order addition parts at a later date.

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

TECHNICAL PROCEDURE

The bucket seat locks on the subject vehicles may not lock under forward load conditions. Failure to lock is confined to bucket seats and one supplier. These locks may be used on either the driver or passenger seat, or both sides. All locks on these styles must be checked as specified below. Sitice the driver seat could have a different lock than the passenger seat, both locks must be inspected.

1. Put reclining seat back in full upright position and keep it there during this service procedure.

CAUTION:

To help avoid personal injury, inspect reclining seat models only with the seat back in the full upright position. The lock is spring loaded. If ttie seat back is folded forward from a reclining position, and the recliner lever is released, the lock cam could slam closed on exposed fingers or hands in the cam hook area. (See Figure 5).

2. Fold seat back forward. If the lock has a protruding cam, as shown in View "A", Figure 1, it is not a suspect unit and no further checking is required.

3. If the lock has a non-protruding cam, as shown in View "A," Figure 2, it is a suspect unit and must be fully checked as follows:

a. Sit in the seat.

b. Pull seat back slightly forward.

c. Lift the seat back lock emergency release lever knob and hold firmly in "up" position, as shown in Figure 3.

d. While holding the lever in the "up" position, lean back firmly in the seat as if to straighten a long coat. Lean back hard enough to lift yourself off the seat cushion as shown in Figure 4.

e. Get out of the car.

f. Fold the seat back forward.

g. Check for a broken or missing hook as shown in View "A," Figure 5.

h. If the hook is not broken or missing, check for a bent hook, as shown in Figures 6 using the proper checking template. If lock cover interferes with checking template, loosen or remove cover, as needed.

TEMPLATE SHOWN FOR A-E-F-G-J-X STYLES "S" PICK-UP AND "ST" BLAZER

i. If the hook is missing, broken or bent, replace the lock assembly following procedures in the appropriate service manual.

TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS

1. Seat back lock upper two attaching bolts - 15 to 20 N.m (11 to 15 ft.lb). 2. Seat back lock lower two attaching bolts - 22 to 28 N.m (16 to 21 ft. lb.)

CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL

Each vehicle modified 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 five digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or ballpoint 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 for periodic servicing by the owner.

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

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 they were removed.

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 campaign completions as a separate case also.

LABOR AND PARTS CREDIT

List only the one applicable labor operation.

PART FAILED PARTS FAILURE LABOR LABOR OTHER DEALER OPER. COUNT PART NO ALLOW CODE OP. NO. HOURS HOURS MTL.TWG. ----- ----- ------- ----- ---- ------- ----- ----- -------- Inspect Both Seat Back Locks * Only - - - 96 V1940 .3 hr .1 hr -

Inspect Both Locks and Replace * One ** *** 96 V1941 .6 hr .1 hr -

Inspect Both Locks and Replace Both ** *** 96 V1942 .9 hr .1 hr -

* .1 hr. for administration. ** List part number of replaced part. *** List current dealer price plus 30% of replaced part(s).

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.

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 1984 Century, Regal, Skyhawk, and Skylark two-door models have been assembled with bucket seat back locks which fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 207 "Anchorage of Seats." In the event of a vehicle crash, the seat back inertia lock may not function. This would allow the seat back to fold forward, which could increase likelihood of injury to the seat occupant.

To prevent this condition from occurring, please contact your Buick Dealer on or after the date shown below to arrange a service date to have your vehicle inspected. Your dealer will check the bucket seat back locks. If necessary, the locks will be replaced. This service will be completed at no charge.

Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your Buick Dealer. It is estimated that parts will be available approximately March 1, 1984. The labor time to check the seat back locks is approximately 20 minutes. If seat back lock replacement is necessary, it will take about 40 minutes more. Please ask your Dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be necessary to process your vehicle.

Your Buick Dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and 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 your vehicle's condition is not remedied on that date or wi'thin five days, we recommend tliat you contact the Customer Assistance Department, Flint Home Office by calling: 1-800-521-7300, for all except residents of Alaska and Hawaii. In Alaska, call (503) 641-8350. In Hawaii, call (805) 497-8561.

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 1-800-424-9393 (Washington, D.C. residents use 426-0123).

The enclosed owner reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist in correcting 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 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.