CAMPAIGN: INOPERATIVE BUCKET SEAT BACK LOCKS
Model and Year: 1984 CELEBRITY, CAMARO, MONTE CARLO, CAVALIER, CHEVETTE, AND CITATION TWO DOOR MODEL CARS AND "S/T10" SERIES TRUCKS WITH BUCKET SEATS (RPO AR9 OR AV5)
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 nearest Chevrolet 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 INVOLVED
General Motors has determined that some 1984 Celebrity, Camaro, Monte Carlo, Cavalier, Chevette, and Citation two door model cars and certain "S/T10" Series Trucks 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 service procedure in this bulletin. Approximately 10% of the locks will need to be replaced.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
The involved vehicles are 1984 Celebrity, Camaro, Monte Carlo, Cavalier, Chevette, and Citation two door model cars and certain "S/T10" Series Trucks equipped with bucket seats (RPO AR9 or AV5) within the following assembly plant and vehicle breakpoints:
Plant Model From Through ----- ----- ---- ------- Norwood Camaro EN100001 EN105872 Van Nuys Camaro EL100001 EL107580 Arlington Monte Carlo ER100001 ER113120 Baltimore Monte Carlo EB100001 EB103437 Wilmington Chevette EY100001 EY127661 Oklahoma City Celebrity E6800001 E6811417 Framingham Celebrity EG100001 EG103520 Oshawa Celebrity E1100001 E1100076 Tarrytown Citation ET100001 ET112715 Lordstown Cavalier E7100001 E7106604
Janesville Cavalier EJ100001 EJ117540 Pontiac S/T10 Trucks E0100001 E0108252 Moraine S/T10 Trucks E2100001 E2108648 Shreveport S/T10 Trucks E8100001 E8112196
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.
OWNER NOTIFICATION
Owners will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by Chevrolet Motor Division (see copy of Owner Letter included with this bulletin).
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 you new vehicle inventory are to be contacted by the dealer, and arrangement made to make the required modification according to instructions contained in this bulletin.
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 ----- ----------- ------------ S/T Truck Control Asm-Pass. Non-Recliner 20410901 S/T Truck Control Asm-Driver Non-Recliner 20238207 S/T Truck Control Asm-Pass Recliner 20408675 S/T Truck Control Asm-Driver Recliner 20329439 Chevette Control Asm-Pass Side 20456714 Chevette Control Asm-Driver Side 20456715 Cavalier Control Asm-Pass. E-Z Entry 20383819 Cavalier Control Asm-Pass Recliner 20329438 Cavalier Control Asm-Driver Recliner 20329439
Celebrity Control Asm-Pass. Recliner 20329438 Monte Carlo Control Asm-Pass. Recliner 20329438 Camaro Control Asm-Pass. Recliner 20329438 Citation Control Asm-Pass. Recliner 20329438 Celebrity Control Asm-Driver Recliner 20329439 Monte Carlo Control Asm-Driver Recliner 20329439 Camaro Control Asm-Driver Recliner 20329439 Citation Control Asm-Driver Recliner 20329439
Approximately 10% of the seat back locks will need to be replaced. To avoid stock overages, do not over order your requirements. Check you VIN computer list to see how many involved vehicles came through your dealership. Order parts for about 10% of these vehicles. If necessary, order more parts later on.
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).
Parts removed from the involved vehicles are to be retained by the dealer in accordance with current Service Policies and Procedures Manual.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
The bucket seat back 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. Since 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 the 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:
"T" cars and "S/T" Trucks are 100% equipped with locks which must be inspected per these instructions.
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 straignten 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 and 7 using the proper checking template. If lock cover interferes with checking template, loosen or remove cover, as needed.
B. 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.).
SPECIAL TOOLS
The checking templates required for this campaign are special tools which are available in limited quantities.
Dealers will receive their templates from Chevrolet Central Office together with their Campaign Bulletins and computer lists. When required, dealers should contact their zone office regarding the availability of an additional template.
CLAIM INFORMATION
Submit a Product Campaign Claim with the information indicated below:
Parts Failed Parts Failure Labor Labor *Other Net Count Part No. Allowance Code Operation Hours Hours Amount ----- -------- --------- ---- --------- ----- ----- ------ 00 V1940 .3 .1
Description: Inspect both seat back locks as outlined in this bulletin, no further action required.
Parts Failed **Parts Failure Labor Labor *Other Net Count Part No. Allowance Code Operation Hours Hours Amount ----- --------- ---------- ---- --------- ----- ----- ------- 1 20329439 00 V1941 .6 .1
Description: Inspect both seat back locks and replace one seat back lock, as outlined in this bulletin.
Parts Failed **Parts Failure Labor Labor *Other Net Count Part No. Allowance Code Operation Hours Hours Amount ----- --------- ---------- ---- --------- ----- ----- ------ 2 20329439 00 V1942 .9 .1
Description: Inspect both seat back locks and replace both seat back locks, as outlined in this bulletin.
*Campaign Administrative Allowance
Dealers will automatically receive the correct labor and material allowance based on the labor operation performed.
**The Parts Allowance should be the sum total of the current WDDGM Dealer Net plus 30% of all parts required for the repair.
Refer to the Chevrolet Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Campaign Claim submission.
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.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
REFER TO THE CURRENT CHEVROLET SERVICE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL AND CLAIMS PROCESSING MANUAL FOR CAMPAIGN HANDLING AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES.
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 Celebrity, Camaro, Monte Carlo, Cavalier, Chevette, and Citation two door model cars, and certain "S/T" Series Trucks 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 Chevrolet 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 Chevrolet 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 Chevrolet 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 they do not remedy this condition on that date or within five days, we recommend you contact the nearest Chevrolet 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 box.
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 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.
