EXCHANGE PROGRAM - REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY

SUBJECT: EXCHANGE PROGRAM -- REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY EXCHANGE PROGRAM

MODELS: 1997 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

TO GAIN HELPFUL PRODUCT FEEDBACK ON THE NEW REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY, AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL THE END OF THE 1997 MODEL YEAR.

THE FOLLOWING EXPLAINS ALL REQUIREMENTS REGARDING DIAGNOSIS, SERVICEABLE AND NON-SERVICEABLE ITEMS, WARRANTY CLAIM PROCESSING PROCEDURES AND SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS. THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE FILED IN THE "SPECIAL EXCHANGE POLICY PROCEDURES" MANUAL.

IN THE EVENT YOUR DEALERSHIP RECEIVES A COMMENT ON A REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY, FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES LISTED BELOW. YOUR COOPERATION IN ADHERING TO THE PROCEDURES WILL GREATLY IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM.

ALL REQUESTS FOR EXCHANGE COMPONENTS MUST BE DIRECTED TO THE "CORVETTE LAUNCH CENTER" AT 1-800-498-5148. ALL DIAGNOSIS MUST BE PERFORMED BEFORE ANY REQUESTS ARE ACCEPTED. CANADIAN DEALERS MUST CONTACT TAC AT 1-800-263-7740.

A. PRELIMINARY DIAGNOSIS PROCEDURE:

IMPORTANT: FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION EQUIPPED VEHICLES ONLY. THE "DRIVELINE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY" REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION PROCEDURE MUST BE STRICTLY ADHERED TO IN ORDER TO AVOID DAMAGING THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT THRUST BEARING. SEE SERVICE BULLETIN 674102.

REFER TO ATTACHED DIAGNOSIS CHART. MIS-DIAGNOSIS RESULTS NOT ONLY IN A DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER, BUT ALSO A REPEAT REPAIR FOR THE DEALERSHIP.

B. DEALER SERVICEABLE COMPONENTS:

IMPORTANT: THE AXLE MUST NOT BE DISASSEMBLED.

THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS MAY BE SERVICED BY THE DEALER WITHOUT THE NEED OF AN EXCHANGE:

1) AXLE SEAL(S) (LEFT + RIGHT) 2) SEAL RETAINER ASSEMBLY (A/T ONLY) 3) SEAL, CENTER - SEAL RETAINER (A/T ONLY) 4) O-RING (LOCATED ON SEAL RETAINER OR ON M/T CASE) 5) VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR (VSS) 6) VSS BOLT 7) FILL PLUG 8) DRAIN PLUG 9) FILL PLUG WASHER 10) DRAIN PLUG WASHER

C. EXCHANGE PROCEDURE

ONCE THE ABOVE PRELIMINARY DIAGNOSIS AND/OR REPAIRS ARE MADE AND AN EXCHANGE UNIT IS STILL DEEMED NECESSARY, CONTACT THE "CORVETTE LAUNCH CENTER" AT 1-800-498-5148. THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM GENERAL MOTORS SERVICE PARTS OPERATIONS (GMSPO) FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. ANY PURCHASES THROUGH GMSPO WITHOUT PRIOR AUTHORIZATION FROM THE "CORVETTE LAUNCH CENTER" MAY BE DISALLOWED ON THE WARRANTY CLAIM. FOR VEHICLES NOT REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, CONTACT THE "CORVETTE LAUNCH CENTER" FOR AUTHORIZATION NUMBER BEFORE ORDERING FROM GMSPO.

PLEASE BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE VEHICLE DELIVERY DATE AND DEALER SHIPPING ADDRESS.

DEALER MUST SPECIFY THE AXLE RPO AND AXLE SERIAL NUMBER IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE CORRECT AXLE RATIO FOR REPLACEMENT.

ALSO, BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY INFORMATION BY FILLING OUT THE REPORTING FORM (EXAMPLE ATTACHED, REPRODUCE LOCALLY) PRIOR TO CALLING.

THE "CORVETTE LAUNCH CENTER" WILL ARRANGE TO SHIP AN EXCHANGE UNIT TO YOUR DEALERSHIP AND PROVIDE YOUR DEALERSHIP WITH A T.A.N. CASE NUMBER. THIS NUMBER MUST BE WRITTEN, USING A PERMANENT MARKER, ON THE REAR COVER OF THE RETURNED REAR AXLE BEFORE RETURNING THE UNIT TO THE SUPPLIER FOR ANALYSIS.

TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM, THE REMOVED REAR AXLE MUST BE RETURNED IMMEDIATELY (NOT LATER THAN 1 WEEK AFTER REMOVAL FROM VEHICLE). UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY THE REMOVED REAR AXLE BE RETAINED OR PURCHASED BY THE DEALER.

THE REMOVED REAR AXLE MUST BE RETURNED COMPLETE, AS REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT EXAMINATION. DEALERSHIPS RETURNING UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN EVEN PARTIALLY DISASSEMBLED WILL BE JUDGED AS VIOLATING THIS PROCEDURE AND AS SUCH WILL BE SUBJECT TO BEING BILLED FOR ALL MATERIALS FURNISHED.

THE EXCHANGE UNIT WILL HAVE AN ENVELOPE ATTACHED TO IT. THIS ENVELOPE WILL CONTAIN:

RETURN SHIPPING LABEL REPORTING FORM

IMPORTANT: ALL EXCHANGE AXLES ARE SHIPPED WITHOUT LUBRICANT. FILL AXLE WITH LUBRICANT AND ADDITIVE PER SECTION 4D OF THE 1997 SERVICE MANUAL.

ALSO REMOVE MASS DAMPER FROM AXLE LEFT SIDE COVER OF COMPLAINT UNIT AND TRANSFER TO EXCHANGE UNIT.

D. PREPARATION FOR SHIPPING

DRAIN LUBRICANT FROM AXLE.

COMPLETE THE INFORMATION ON THE COMPLAINT TAG.

COMPLETE THE LEAK IDENTIFICATION CHART. (EXAMPLE ATTACHED, REPRODUCE LOCALLY.)

FOLD THE REPORT FORM, COPY OF REPAIR ORDER, LEAK IDENTIFICATION CHART AND STAPLE THEM TO THE COMPLAINT TAG AND SECURE THE TAG TO A BOLT HOLE OF THE REMOVED UNIT.

WRITE THE T.A.N. REFERENCE NUMBER ON THE REAR COVER OF THE REMOVED AXLE.

REPACK THE REMOVED UNIT INTO THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING CONTAINER.

E. SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS

PLACE THE RETURN SHIPPING LABEL OVER THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL.

WRITE THE T.A.N. NUMBER ON THE SHIPPING LABEL.

IF POSSIBLE, USE CARRIER SPECIFIED BY GETRAG GEARS. YOUR BILL OF LADING SIGNED AND DATED BY THE CARRIER WILL BE YOUR PROOF OF RETURNING THE REMOVED UNIT. ATTACH THIS COPY TO YOUR WARRANTY COPY OF THE REPAIR ORDER.

THE REMOVED AXLE IS TO BE SHIPPED TRUCK FREIGHT "COLLECT" TO:

GETRAG GEARS OF NORTH AMERICA 1848 GETRAG PARKWAY NEWTON, NC 28658 (704) 428-3711

TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM, THE REMOVED UNIT SHOULD BE RETURNED IMMEDIATELY. FAILURE TO RETURN THE REMOVED UNIT WILL RESULT IN THE DEALERSHIP BEING BILLED $1,055.00 FOR THE UNIT FURNISHED, PLUS AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE.

UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN DISASSEMBLED WILL RESULT IN THE DEALERSHIP BEING BILLED $1,055.00 FOR THE UNIT FURNISHED, PLUS AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE.

F. WARRANTY CLAIMS PROCESSING PROCEDURE

UPON COMPLETION OF THE REPAIR, A WARRANTY CLAIM IS TO BE SUBMITTED FOR THE FOLLOWING:

NET AMOUNT ADMINISTRATIVE LABOR OPERATION (PART ALLOWANCE) ALLOWANCE

F2143, R + R REAR $ 170.00 * 0.2 HRS AXLE ASSY

ALSO INCLUDE COST OF ANY LUBRICANT AND ADDITIVES USED FOR THE EXCHANGE UNIT PER NORMAL WARRANTY PROCEDURE.

* DEALERS ARE PROVIDED A "PART ALLOWANCE". THIS AMOUNT REPRESENTS 40% OF THE DEALER NET PRICE OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CURRENT GMSPO DEALER NET PRICE LESS THE COMPONENT RETURN CREDIT (CORE ALLOWANCE) FOR PARTS THAT WERE FURNISHED FREE-OF-CHARGE BY GENERAL MOTORS THROUGH THEIR SUPPLIERS. THIS AMOUNT IS TO BE PLACED IN THE NET AMOUNT COLUMN OF THE WARRANTY CLAIM.

FIGURES: 0 ATTACHMENTS: 3

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.

COPYRIGHT 1997. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.