F/CMVSS Noncompliance - Manual Passenger Seat Adjuster

General Motors has decided that certain 2006 Chevrolet Impala vehicles equipped with a manual passenger seat adjuster fail to conform to Federal/Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 210 for seat belt assembly anchorages. The weld that attaches the passenger seat adjuster to the left floor mounting bracket may be mislocated and not meet GM's strength specification. In a severe vehicle crash, the seat adjuster may separate from the mounting bracket, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Dealers are to inspect the seat adjuster for a specific date code. All seat adjusters found with that date code are to be replaced.

Involved are certain 2006 Chevrolet Impala vehicles equipped with a manual passenger seat adjuster and built within these VIN breakpoints:

Important: Dealers are to confirm vehicle eligibility prior to beginning repairs by using 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 the applicable system listed below. Dealers will not have a report available if they have no involved vehicles currently assigned.

-- US dealers - GM DealerWorld Recall Information

-- Canadian dealers - GMinfoNet Recall Reports

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 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.

* Very few vehicles will require the replacement passenger seat adjuster. Parts should only be ordered when date code inspection determines that it is necessary to replace the passenger seat adjuster.

Inspection Procedure

1. Move the front passenger seat all the way forward.
2. Inspect the inboard adjuster assembly (1) on the front passenger seat to locate the date code. Use a small flashlight to view the date code. The date code is about 102 mm (4 in) forward of position (1) and near position (2) on the inboard adjuster assembly.



3. The date code (1) begins on the 9th character and ends on 13th character.

•	If the date code is 05287 or 05288, then the adjuster must be replaced. Proceed to the section below titled Seat Adjuster Replacement.

•	If the date code is not 05287 or 05288, then no further action is required.

Seat Adjuster Replacement

1. Remove the SIR fuse. Refer to SIR Disabling and Enabling procedure in SI.
2. Move the front passenger seat all the way forward.



3. Remove the seat shoulder belt anchor nut (1) from the seat.
4. Disconnect the seat belt (6) from the seat.



5. Remove the two bolts (1) attaching the adjuster to the vehicle.
6. Remove the seat from the vehicle.



7. Remove the recliner handle (1) using a flat-bladed tool, push the retainer clip downward and pull outward to release the handle.
8. Remove the lumbar actuator handle by pulling outward to remove.
9. Remove the two screws retaining the seat cushion outer trim panel and the outer trim panel.
10. Remove the seat cushion cover (5) from the seat by:

10.1.

Releasing the J-channel from the seat cushion frame.

10.2.

Disconnect the seat cushion heater electrical connector, if equipped.

10.3.

Remove the seat cushion cover and pad as an assembly from the frame.

11. Remove the four nuts (6) retaining the seat frame to the adjuster frame.
12. Remove the adjuster assembly from the seat frame.
13. Install the new adjuster assembly to the seat frame.
14. Install the four nuts retaining the seat frame to the adjuster frame.

Tighten
Tighten the nuts to 9 N·m (80 lb in).

15. Install the seat cushion to the seat and be sure to connect the seat cushion heater, if equipped.
16. Install the seat cushion outer trim panel and two retaining screws.

Tighten
Tighten the screws to 2 N·m(18 lb in).

17. Install the lumbar actuator handle by pressing it into place.
18. Install the recliner handle by pressing it into place.
19. Install the seat assembly to the vehicle, inserting the front first.
20. Install the two bolts attaching the adjuster to the vehicle.

Tighten
Tighten the bolts to 45 N·m(33 lb ft).

21. Install the shoulder belt onto the stud on the seat, being sure that the belt is not twisted.
22. Install the seat shoulder belt anchor nut.

Tighten
Tighten the nut to 42 N·m(31 lb ft).

23. Return the front seat to its approximate starting position.
24. Install the SIR fuse. Refer to SIR Disabling and Enabling procedure in SI.

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 recall 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).

Letters will be sent to known owners of record located within areas covered by the US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. For owners outside these areas, dealers should notify customers using the attached sample letter.

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 2006 model year Chevrolet Impala vehicles equipped with a manual passenger seat adjuster fail to conform to Federal/Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 210 for seat belt assembly anchorages. As a result, GM is conducting a safety recall. We apologize for this inconvenience. However, we have taken this action for your safety and continued satisfaction with our products.

The weld that attaches the passenger seat adjuster to the left floor mounting bracket may be mislocated and not meet GM's strength specification. In a severe vehicle crash, the seat adjuster may separate from the mounting bracket, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Your GM dealer will inspect the seat adjuster for a specific date code. If your seat adjuster has that date code, the adjuster will be replaced. This service will be performed for you at no charge . Due to service scheduling requirements, it is likely that your dealer will need your vehicle longer than the actual inspection time of approximately 15 minutes. If the adjuster requires replacement, an additional 30 minutes will be required.

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.

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.

If you have questions or concerns that your dealer is unable to resolve, please contact the appropriate Customer Assistance Center at the number listed on the next page. 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, 400 Seventh St., SW, 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

06016