FMVSS Noncompliance - Head Impact Protection - Add Additional Energy-Absorbing Device (US and Export)

The Parts Information section in this bulletin has been revised to include part usage for the gray absorber kit. Please discard all copies of bulletin 07281, issued May 2008.

General Motors has decided that certain 2007 model year Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles built without a head-curtain side impact air bag or without a sunroof fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact." In tests, the Standard's requirement was exceeded at one test point. If a front seat occupant's head contacts that point in a crash, the occupant's injury could be increased.

Dealers are to install an energy-absorbing device on the driver and passenger side headliner.

Involved are certain 2007 model year Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles built without a head-curtain side impact air bag or without a sunroof and built within these VIN breakpoints:

Important: Dealers are to confirm vehicle eligibility prior to beginning repairs by using the GM Vehicle Inquiry System (GMVIS). Not all vehicles within the above breakpoints may be involved.

For dealers with involved vehicles, a listing with involved vehicles containing the complete vehicle identification number, customer name, and address information has been prepared and will be provided through GM DealerWorld Recall Information. Dealers will not have a report available if they have no involved vehicles currently assigned.

The listing may contain customer names and addresses obtained from Motor Vehicle Registration Records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any purpose other than follow-up necessary to complete this recall is a violation of law in several states/provinces/countries. Accordingly, you are urged to limit the use of this report to the follow-up necessary to complete this recall.

Parts required to complete this recall are to be obtained from General Motors Service and Parts Operations (GMSPO). Please refer to your "involved vehicles listing" before ordering parts. Normal orders should be placed on a DRO = Daily Replenishment Order. In an emergency situation, parts should be ordered on a CSO = Customer Special Order.

1. Remove the door weather strip.




Notice: To avoid damaging the headliner and to ensure the headliner tab hole is cut in the correct location, it is essential to carefully align the template cross hair (1) with the edge of the headliner and the edge of the A-pillar trim. Use an X-Acto knife or equivalent utility knife to cut the tab hole in the headliner.

Important: There is a driver's side and a passenger's side template. The driver's side template is marked "L" left side, and the passenger's side template is marked "R" right side.

2. Align the template cross hair (1) with the edge of the A-pillar trim and edge of the headliner.



3. Mark the outline for the tab hole using an ink pen.



4. Cut the tab hole using a utility knife.



5. Insert the tab of the headliner trim piece into the tab hole.



6. Insert the A-pillar edge of the headliner trim piece (1) under the A-pillar trim (2).





7. Place a piece of Scotch® tape (or equivalent transparent tape) along the edge of the headliner where the U-channel will contact the headliner.
8. Push the U-channel edge of the headliner trim piece over the top of the headliner edge.



9. Install the weather strip.



10. Examine the fit of the headliner trim piece to the headliner. Remove or reduce any gap between the headliner and headliner trim piece by applying pressure to the headliner molding piece, if required.

The General Motors Courtesy Transportation program is intended to minimize customer inconvenience when a vehicle requires a repair that is covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. The availability of courtesy transportation to customers whose vehicles are within the warranty coverage period and involved in a product program is very important in maintaining customer satisfaction. Dealers are to ensure that these customers understand that shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation is available and will be provided at no charge. Dealers should refer to the General Motors Service Policies and Procedures Manual for Courtesy Transportation guidelines.

Submit a Product Recall Claim with the information indicated below:

Refer to the General Motors WINS Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Recall Claim Submission.

General Motors will notify customers of this recall on their vehicle (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin).

The US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides that each vehicle that is subject to a recall of this type must be adequately repaired within a reasonable time after the customer has tendered it for repair. A failure to 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 customer 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 remedies, every effort must be made to promptly schedule an appointment with each customer and to repair their vehicle as soon as possible. In the recall notification letters, customers are told how to contact the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if the recall is not completed within a reasonable time.

This bulletin is notice to you that the new motor vehicles included in this recall may not comply with the standard identified above. Under Title 49, Section 30112 of the United States Code, 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 recall correction, your dealership may be subject to a civil penalty for each such sale.

All unsold new vehicles in dealers' possession and subject to this recall must be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this recall bulletin before customers take possession of these vehicles.

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

Customers who have recently purchased vehicles sold from your vehicle inventory, and for which there is no customer information indicated on the dealer listing, are to be contacted by the dealer. Arrangements are to be made to make the required correction according to the instructions contained in this bulletin. A copy of the customer letter is provided in this bulletin for your use in contacting customers. Recall follow-up cards should not be used for this purpose, since the customer may not as yet have received the notification letter.

In summary, whenever a vehicle subject to this recall enters your vehicle inventory, or is in your dealership for service in the future, you must take the steps necessary to be sure the recall correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.

Dear General Motors Customer:

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

General Motors has decided that certain 2007 model year Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles built without a head-curtain side impact air bag or without a sunroof fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 201, Occupant Protection in Interior Impact." As a result, GM is conducting a safety recall. We apologize for this inconvenience. However, we are concerned about your safety and continued satisfaction with our products.

Important: 

Why is your vehicle being recalled?

In tests, the Standard's requirement was exceeded at one of the interior occupant protection test points. If a front seat occupant's head contacts that point in a crash, the occupant's injury could be increased.

What will we do?

Your GM dealer will install an energy-absorbing device on the driver's and passenger's side of the headliner. This service will be performed for you at no charge . Because of service scheduling requirements, it is likely that your dealer will need your vehicle longer than the actual service correction time of approximately 25 minutes.

If your vehicle is within the New Vehicle Limited Warranty your dealer may provide you with shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation while your vehicle is at the dealership for this repair. Please refer to your Owner’s Manual and your dealer for details on courtesy transportation.

What should you do?

You should contact your GM dealer to arrange a service appointment as soon as possible. Bring the enclosed customer reply form with you when you visit your dealer. The form identifies the repairs required. If you no longer own this vehicle, please let us know by completing the form and mailing it back to us.

Do you have questions?

If you have questions or concerns that your dealer is unable to resolve, please contact the appropriate Customer Assistance Center at the number listed below. More information about this recall can be found at the Owner Center at MyGMLink, http://www.gm.com/recall

If after contacting your dealer and the Customer Assistance Center, you are still not satisfied we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge and within a reasonable time, you may wish to write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington DC 20590, or call the toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1.888.327.4236 (TTY 1.800.424.9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Federal regulation requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days.

Scott Lawson

General Director,

Customer and Relationship Services

Enclosure

07281