CAMPAIGN: AIR CLEANER PLASTIC TRIM COVER SAFETY ACTION
SUBJECT: 1985 CIMARRON AIR CLEANER PLASTIC TRIM COVER REMOVAL
The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, as amended, provides that each vehicle which is subject to a product 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 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 allow- ance 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 owner letter, the owners are being instructed to contact the nearest Cadillac 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 how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
CONDITION
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1985 Cimarrons with 2.0 liter engines. The engine air cleaner plastic trim cover on the involved vehicles, if not properly installed after servicing, may fall forward onto, or be left on the hot exhaust manifold. Should this occur while the vehicle is being operated, an engine compartment fire could occur without prior warning.
DEALER ACTION
To correct this condition dealers and owners are being requested to remove and discard the engine air cleaner plastic trim cover. In addition, owners are being advised they can have their dealer install an air cleaner trim decal in place of the plastic trim cover.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
All 1985 Cimarrons equipped with RPO LQ5 2.0 liter L4 TBI engine (VIN Code "P") within the following VIN range require this campaign (Cadillac records indicate that a total of 3,221 vehicles are affected):
FJ500001 through FJ503325
OWNER NOTIFICATION
OWNERS OF VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE NOTIFIED BY LETTER FROM CADILLAC MOTOR CAR DIVISION. A COPY OF THE OWNER LETTER IS ATTACHED.
DEALER LIST
A list of vehicles involved is enclosed for your follow-up. The list includes: (a.) Those vehicles originally sold by you, providing the current owner is located in your zone; and, (b.) Those vehicles originally sold outside of your zone whose current owner is located in your area of sales/service responsibility.
This list contains 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 list for the follow-up necessary to complete this campaign. If no list is attached, none of the involved vehicles are known to be in your area.
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 used car inventory, dealers are to take the steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before reselling the vehicle.
In addition, dealers are to perform the campaign on all affected vehicles as they are brought in for any kind of service.
PARTS INFORMATION
The air cleaner trim decals are included with this bulletin. The quantity should reflect the number of involved vehicles from your affected vehicle list. In addition, a small quantity will be available at each zone office.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
This procedure should be performed with the engine OFF.
1. Open hood and secure in upward position.
2. Remove air cleaner plastic trim cover (see illustration) and discard.
3. Clean top surface of the air cleaner assembly. This surface must be free of dirt and grease.
4. Instructions for installing the air cleaner decal may be found on the decal. Care must be taken to prevent wrinkles and air bubbles.
5. Install campaign completion label described in this bulletin and close hood.
CAMPAIGN COMPLETION LABEL
Upon completion of this campaign, a white campaign label (Cat. No. S-1015) should be affixed on a clean, dry surface of the radiator support tie bar in an area clearly visible when the hood is raised. Each label provides space to print in ink (or type) campaign number 85-C-3 and your five-digit Cadillac dealer code. Dealers are to take the step necessary to ensure the numbers are properly recorded on the label.
CREDIT
Credit for this campaign will be issued upon receipt of a properly prepared warranty claim as follows:
Failed Parts Failure Labor Labor* Description Part No. Allowance Code Operation Hours ----------- -------- --------- -------- --------- ------ Remove Air Cleaner -- -- 96 V3380 .2 Hr. Plastic Trim Cover & Discard. Install Air Cleaner Trim Decal.
* This labor time represents the actual time required to perform the correction. Dealers should apply for 0.1 additional hour for administrative allowance as "Other Labor Hours".
Dear Cadillac 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 a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1985 Cimarrons equipped with the 2.0 liter engine.
The engine air cleaner plastic trim cover on the involved vehicles, if not properly installed after servicing, may fall forward onto, or be left on the hot exhaust manifold. Should this occur while the vehicle is being operated, an engine compartment fire could occur without prior warning.
To prevent this condition from occurring, please remove the engine air cleaner plastic trim cover and discard (see the enclosed illustration). In the event assistance is required in removing the trim cover, please contact your Cadillac dealer who will perform this function at no charge to you.
Instructions have been sent to your Cadillac dealer. The labor time necessary to perform this correction is approximately 15 minutes. Please allow your dealer additional time to process your vehicle.
Your Cadillac dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide service to ensure your Cadillac 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 Cadillac 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 Warranty and Owner Assistance Information Booklet which is in your glove compartment.
After contacting your dealer and the Zone office, if you are still not satisfied 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 Campaign Owner Identification Card identifies your Cadillac. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist in making the inspection and correction in the shortest possible time. If you have removed and discarded the engine air cleaner plastic trim cover yourself, please check the appropriate box and return the postage-paid card to us. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please complete and mail the card. This will assist us in assuring all affected vehicles have been corrected.
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.
