CAMPAIGN: ENGINE CRADLE ASSEMBLY. Chevrolet Celebrity 1988

For 1990-2009 cars

# CAMPAIGN: ENGINE CRADLE ASSEMBLY

#### Model and Year: 1988 CHEVROLET CELEBRITY

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 Chevrolet 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 detemined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety may exist in certain 1988 Chevrolet Celebrity model vehicles. Some of these vehicles may have been assembled with a front suspension lower am bracket that could develop metal cracks and eventually may result in disengagement of the lower control arm. If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, it could result in a loss of steering control and a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, it will be necessary to inspect the engine cradle assembly date code stamp on all involved vehicles for suspect codes. Vehicles found with suspect date codes will require engine cradle replacement.

#### VEHICLES INVOLVED

Involved are certain 1988 Chevrolet Celebrity model vehicles produced within the following VIN breakpoints:

PLANT FROM THROUGH ----- ---- ------- Oklahoma City J6165699 J6167966

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 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 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 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 correction according to instructions contained in this bulletin.

#### PARTS INFORMATION

Parts, if required, are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). To ensure these parts will be obtained as soon as possible, they should be ordered from GMSPO on a "C.I.O." order with no special instruction code, but on an advise code (2).

QUANTITY/ PART NUMBER USAGE DESCRIPTION VEHICLE ----------- ----- ----------- --------- 10046837 W/V6 Engine Frame "Cradle" - Drive Train & Front Suspension 1 10046838 W/L4 Engine Frame "Cradle" - Drive Train & Front Suspension 1

Of the approximately 3,500 vehicles involved in this campaign it is estimated that 3,200 (91%) will require engine cradle replacement. Order parts accordingly based on attached involved vehicle listing.

#### SERVICE PROCEDURE

1. Raise vehicle on hoist to make underside of engine cradle accessible to read run date.

2. Underside of engine mounting bracket (attached to right hand side rail and front cross member of cradle as arrow indicates on Figure 1) should be cleaned using a naptha or paint thinner to remove wax coating.

3. Locate engine cradle run date which is stamped on underside of engine mounting bracket per detail drawing (See Figure 2). Dates of suspect cradles include 10 NO 87, 11 NO 87, 12 NO 87 and 13 NO 87. Vehicles with cradles produced on these dates must be replaced. Reference the 1988 Chevrolet Celebrity Service Manual, Section 2A for cradle replacement.

4. Vehicles equipped with cradles with non-suspect dates (dates other than November 10, 11, 12, or 13, 1987) should be resealed with G.M. approved wax or undercoating as replacement of the cradle is not required.

5. Install Campaign Identification Label.

CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL (Figure 3)

Each vehicle corrected 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 (5) 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.

#### CLAIM INFORMATION

Submit a Product Campaign Claim with the information indicated below.

* *** FAILED PARTS LABOR LAB OTH NET REPAIR PERFORMED PC PART NO. ALLOW FC OP HRS HRS AMT

Inspect Cradle Date 00 v4610 0.2 0.1 $0.10 No Further Action Required

Inspect Cradle Date 1 10046837 ** 00 V4611 2.9 0.1 $0.10 Code Replace Cradle or Assembly 10046838

* Campaign Administrative Allowance

** The "Parts Allowance" should be the sum total of the current GMSPO Dealer Net price plus 30% of all parts required for the repair.

*** The $0.10 identified in the "Net Amount" column represents the cost plus 30% for wax/sealer used in conjunction with labor operations V4610 and V4611.

Dealers will automatically receive the correct labor and material allowance based on the labor operation performed.

Refer to the Chevrolet Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Campaign Claim submission.

(Notification Used By Chevrolet Motor Division)

Dear Chevrolet Owner:

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 a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety may exist in certain 1988 Chevrolet Celebrity model vehicles. Some of these vehicles may have been assembled with a front suspension lower arm bracket that could develop metal cracks and eventually may result in disengagement of the lower control arm. If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, it could result in a loss of steering control and a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.

WHAT WE WILL DO

To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, it will be necessary to inspect the engine cradle assembly date code stamp on your vehicle. If your vehicle is equipped with an engine cradle assembly containing a suspect date code (indicating a lower control arm bracket that could crack), we will replace the cradle assembly on your vehicle at no charge to you.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

Please contact your Chevrolet dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date. Instructions for performing this inspection/correction have been sent to your dealer. Parts are available. The labor time necessary to perform the inspection is approximately fifteen (15) minutes. If it is found that your vehicle requires an engine cradle assembly replacement, an additional two hours and forty-five minutes will be required. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to schedule and 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. If, however, 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 (5) days, we reco m end you contact the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center by calling 1-800-222-1020. The Customer Assistance Center will assist you and the dealer in getting your vehicle inspected/corrected.

After contacting your dealer and the Customer Assistance Center, if you are still not satisfied that we have done our best to remidy 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 1-800-424-9393 (Washington, D.C. residents use 366-0123).

The enclosed Owner Reply Card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist in the necessary inspection/correction in the shortest possible time. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please let us know by completing the postage paid 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.

Chevrolet Motor Division GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION

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.