CAMPAIGN: FRT. DOOR INTERLOCK STRIKER STUD REPLACEMENT

SUBJECT: PRODUCT SAFETY CAMPAIGN 91-C-04 FRONT DOOR INTERLOCK STRIKER STUD

MODELS AFFECTED: 1991 SUNBIRD (EXCEPT CONVERTIBLE)

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 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 their vehicle as soon as possible. As you will see in reading the attached copy of the letter that is being sent to owners, the owners are being instructed to contact the Pontiac 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.

DEFECT INVOLVED

General Motors has determined that certain 1991 Pontiac Sunbird model vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 210. "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages." If a vehicle crash should occur, the front door interlock, striker stud may fail, which could cause the door frame to collapse. Collapse of the door frame could result in failure if the shoulder belt to provide sufficient restraint to the occupant.

To prevent this condition, from occurring, dealers are to replace the passive restraint interlock striker studs on involved vehicles.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

Involved are certain 1991 Pontiac Sunbird model vehicles built within the following VIN breakpoints:

Up To And Year Plant Beginning Including ---- ---------- ----------- --------- 1991 Lordstown M7574022 M7590841

(Convertibles are not involved in this campaign action.)

Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number Computer Listings. Computer listings contain the complete Vehicle Identifica- tion 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 has no involved vehicles currently assigned.

OWNER NOTIFICATION

Owners will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by Pontiac 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 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.

Owners of vehicles recently sold from your new vehicle inventory are to be contacted by the dealer, and arrangements made to make the required modifica- tion according to instructions contained in this bulletin.

This bulletin is notice to you that the new motor vehicles included in this campaign may not comply with the standard identified above. Under Section 108 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 a civil penalty up to $1,000 for each such sale.

PARTS INFORMATION

Parts required to complete this campaign are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operation (GMSPO). To ensure that these parts are obtained as soon as possible, they should be ordered from GMSPO on a C.I.O. order with no special instruction code, but on advise code (2).

Part Quantity Description Number Per Vehicle ------------------------- -------- ----------- Door Interlock Striker Stud 22571850 2

SERVICE PROCEDURE

PERFORM PROCEDURE ON BOTH FRONT DOORS ON INVOLVED VEHICLES.

TOOLS REQUIRED: 9 mm hex head (allen head) driver Thin-blade putty knife Pointed drift, or drift with a relatively small tip Ball peen hammer (appx 24 oz.)

1. Lower front door glass and remove plastic cover from shoulder belt upper guide loop anchor. See illustration.

2. Mask off inside surface of vertical leg of door frame to prevent damage to painted surfaces. See illustration.

3. Using a 9 mm hex driver, loosen interlock striker until there is a 2 mm gap between base of striker and the door frame.

4. Strike loosened striker with hammer until stud is dislodged from door frame.

NOTICE: The interlock striker stud is 'press-fit' in the door frame, and several blows may be required to dislodge it. It is recommended that several moderate blows be used, rather than trying to dislodge the stud with one or two very heavy blows. Use of excessive force may result in damage to door frame.

5. Remove interlock striker. Do not discard striker; it will be reinstalled on new interlock striker stud.

6. With the door open, position tip of drift in depression at end of striker stud, and finish driving stud out of door frame by striking drift with hammer.

7. Working from inside of door frame, carefully disengage run channel weatherstrip from door frame using a thin-blade putty knife to disengage upper clip. Upper clip is located about 1 inch above top edge of shoulder belt anchor. See illustration.

8. Carefully disengage enough of run channel weather strip from door frame to allow retrieval of interlock striker stud. It may be necessary to use a 'magnet-on-a-stick,' or needle nose pliers to retrieve stud.

9. Using needle-nose pliers, position replacement stud in hole in door frame, and install striker onto stud finger tight. Align base of stud so that long edges of stud are parallel to channel in door frame (see illustration). Using a 9 mm hex driver, torque striker to 35 N.m (26 lb.ft.). Make sure that new stud is pulled fully into hole. and that base of stud is flush against inside of door frame.

10. Push run channel weatherstrip back into door frame, making sure that it is properly positioned for scaling and appearance. Be sure to re-engage upper run channel weatherstrip clip to door frame.

11. Reinstall plastic cover to shoulder belt upper guide loop anchor.

12. Check window for proper up/down operation.

13. Remove masking tape.

14. Repeat steps 1-13 for opposite front door of vehicle.

15. Install Campaign Identification Label.

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 campaign number, the five digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service, and the date the vehicle was campaigned. This information, may be inserted with a typewriter or ballpoint pen. Install the label only on a clean, dry surface of the radiator baffle where it is readily visible. (Additional campaign labels are available on stationery order as Form 7201-709).

CLAIM INFORMATION

A separate repair order must be used for each vehicle. A completed warranty claim is to be kept as a permanent record of completion.

DEALERS SHOULD SUBMIT WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR CREDIT in THEIR NORMAL MANNER WHEN THEY PERFORM THE SERVICE AS FOLLOWS:

*Other Failure Labor Labor Labor Operation Code Operation Hours Hours ------------------- ------ --------- ------- ----- R & R Striker Stud 96 V6900 0.4 0.1

* In addition dealerships will receive 0.1 hours credit for dealer adminis- trative services associated with this campaign. The 0.1 hours allowance is to be entered in the "Other Labor Hours" field with each campaign repair listed for credit. This entry will not require authorization.

FAILURE CODE 96 MUST BE USED WITH THE LABOR OPERATION.

Parts required are to be listed in your warranty claim in the normal manner. Parts will be credited at dealer net plus 30% dealer handling allowance.

Dealers will be credited via Warranty Document or Terminal Transmission, whichever is their normal method of submission for payment. Claim must contain all information required and should list the labor operation as outlined.

RECORDING COMPLETION

Repairs submitted for vehicles not involved in the campaign will not be paid.

Campaign completion will be recorded from "PROPERLY COMPLETED AND PAID WARRANTY CLAIMS." Owners are being asked to present the owner reply card for identification to their dealer at the time they bring in their vehicle to have the campaign performed.

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 determined that certain 1991 Pontiac Sunbird model vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages." If a vehicle crash should occur the door frame to interlock striker stud may fail, which could cause the door frame to collapse. Collapse of the door frame could result in failure of the shoulder belt to provide sufficient restraint to the occupant.

WHAT WE WILL DO

To prevent this condition from occurring on your vehicle, your Pontiac dealer will replace the passive restraint interlock striker studs on the front doors of your Sunbird. This service will be performed for you at no charge.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

Please contact you Pontiac dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date and so the dealer may order the necessary parts for the repair. Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your Pontiac Dealer and parts are available. The labor time to perform this service correction is approximately 25 minutes. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to process your vehicle.

Your Pontiac dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide service to ensure you vehicle is corrected as promptly as possible. However, if you take your vehicle to your dealer on the agreed service date, and he does not remedy this condition on that date, or within 5 (five) days, we recommend you contact the Pontiac Customer Assistance Center by calling: 1-800-762-2737.

The enclosed Campaign Owner Reply Card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist in making the correction 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.