Owner Letter
October, 1996Dear Chevrolet/GMC Customer:
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 decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1985-91 M-Van, 1990-91 L-Van and 1989-91 R/V Suburban model vehicles equipped with bucket seats with knob type recliner mechanisms. These vehicles may exhibit a condition in which a front seat recliner bolt may fatigue and break. This could allow the seat back to suddenly recline. If this occurred to the driver's seat, it could lead to a sudden loss of vehicle control and a vehicle crash without prior warning.
The bolt fatigue results from high load inputs from the seat occupant when the joint between the recliner mechanism and the seat frame is loose. The recliner mechanism and the seat frame may have foam, cloth, or vinyl between them creating a "soft joint". This "soft joint" can result in lower than specified bolt torque and lead to joint looseness.
What Will Be Done:
To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring, your GM dealer will remove the foam, cloth, or vinyl from between the recliner mechanism and the seat frame "soft joint" and replace the recliner bolts. This service will be performed for you at no charge.
How Long Will The Repair Take?
The length of time required to perform this service correction is approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. Additional time may be required to schedule and process your vehicle. If your dealer has a large number of vehicles awaiting service, this additional time may be significant. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed.
Contacting Your Dealer:
Please contact your dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date. Parts are available and instructions for making this correction have been sent to your dealer. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much time will be needed to schedule, process and repair your vehicle. Your Chevrolet/GMC dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide services to correct your vehicle as promptly as possible. Should your dealer be unable to schedule a service date within a reasonable time, you should contact the appropriate Customer Assistance/Relations Center at the listed number shown:
Division Number Deaf, Hearing Impaired or Speech Impaired*
Chevrolet 1-800-222-1020 1-800-833-2439
GMC 1-800-462-8782 1-800-462-8583
* Utilizes Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf/Text Telephones (TDD/TTY)
If, after contacting the appropriate customer assistance center, you are still not satisfied that 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 Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20590 or call 1-800-424-9393 (Washington D.C. residents use 202-366-0123).
Customer Reply Card:
The enclosed customer reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist in making the necessary correction in the shortest possible time. If you no longer own this vehicle, please let us know by completing the postage paid reply card and returning it to us.
Courtesy Transportation:
Your dealer will 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.
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.