Recall - Rear Liftgate Latch Assembly Defect Update: Overview
Product Safety - Rear Liftgate Latch Assembly # 03030B - (06/14/2004)03030B - Rear Liftgate Latch Assembly
2002-2004 Buick Rendezvous
THIS BULLETIN IS BEING REVISED TO INCLUDE ALL 2003 VEHICLES AND CERTAIN 2004 VEHICLES. DISCARD ALL COPIES OF BULLETIN 03030A, DATED OCTOBER 2003.
Condition
General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in all 2002-2003 model year and certain 2004 model year Buick Rendezvous model vehicles. These vehicles were manufactured with a structural support at the latch attachment in the rear liftgate that may be inadequate to retain the latch to the liftgate in certain severe vehicle crash events. If the liftgate were open in a vehicle crash, an occupant could be ejected from the vehicle resulting in increased risk of personal injury.
Correction
Dealers are to add structural reinforcements to the liftgate in the area adjoining the latch assembly.
Vehicles Involved
Involved are all 2002-2003 model year and certain 2004 model year Buick Rendezvous vehicles built within the VIN breakpoints shown.
Important
Dealers should confirm vehicle eligibility through GMVIS (GM Vehicle Inquiry System) prior to beginning recall repairs. Not all vehicles within the above breakpoints may be involved.]
For US
For dealers with involved vehicles, a Campaign Initiation Detail Report containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data has been prepared and will be loaded to the GM DealerWorld. Recall Information website. Dealers that have no involved vehicles currently assigned will not have a report available in GM DealerWorld.
For Canada & IPC
For dealers with involved vehicles, a Campaign Initiation Detail Report containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data has been prepared and is being furnished to involved dealers. Dealers that have no involved vehicles currently assigned will not receive a report with the recall bulletin.
The Campaign Initiation Detail Report 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 Information
Parts Pre-Ship Information - For US and Canada
Important
An initial supply of liftgate lock kits required to complete this program will be preshipped to involved dealers of record. This pre-shipment is scheduled to begin the week of June 7, 2004 and will be approximately 20% of each dealer's involved vehicles. Preshipped parts will be charged to dealer's open parts account.
Additional parts, if required, 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.
Courtesy Transportation
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.
Claim Information
Submit a Product Recall Claim with the information shown.
Refer to the General Motors WINS Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Recall Claim Submission.
Customer Notification - For US and Canada
General Motors will notify customers of this recall on their vehicle (see copy of customer letter shown in this bulletin).
Customer Notification - For IPC
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 sample letter.
Dealer Recall Responsibility - For US and IPC (US States, Territories and Possessions)
The US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides that each vehicle which 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.
Dealer Recall Responsibility - All
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. This could be done by mailing to such customers a copy of the customer letter in this bulletin. 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, please take the steps necessary to be sure the recall correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.
Disclaimer