Recall - A/T Control Linkage Retainer
89chevy07NUMBER: 89-C-04
GROUP: 7A - Automatic Transmission
DATE: April, 1989
SUBJECT: TRANSMISSION CONTROL LINKAGE RETAINER
MODELS: 1989 M-VAN WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (MD8)
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 adequately repair within 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 appointments with owners and to repair their vehicles as soon as possible. As you will see in reading the attached copy of the letter which is being sent to owners, the owner is being instructed to contact the nearest GMC Zone Office if the dealer does not remedy the condition within five days of the Mutually agreed upon service date. If the condition is not remedied within a reasonable time, they are instructed how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
DEFECT INVOLVED
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1989 M-Vans. These vehicles may have a loose retainer securing the automatic transmission control rod linkage to the steering column lower shift lever. This looseness may allow the retainer to disengage, resulting in a separation of the control rod from the lower shift lever. When this occurs, the shift indicator may not reflect the gear the transmission is in. In this situation, the driver could believe the transmission is in a forward gear when actually it is in reverse, or vice versa. Additionally, the engine could be started with the transmission in gear.
Either of these conditions could lead to a vehicle crash without prior warning. To correct this condition, it will be necessary to install a new transmission linkage retainer on all involved vehicles.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are certain 1989 M-Vans with automatic transmission (MD8) built within the following VIN breakpoints:
MODEL
YEAR MODEL FROM
THROUGH
1989 M-Van KB521096
KB521342
The specific vehicles involved in this campaign have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number Computer Listings. These listings are furnished to all involved dealers with the campaign 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. Dealers are to correct all affected vehicles in new and used vehicle stock prior to their sale. Whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign is taken into your new or used vehicle inventory, or it is in your dealership for service in the future, you should take the steps necessary to ensure 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.
If no owner's name and address were available to GMC Truck Division at the time of campaign initiation, the dealer will determine the owner's name and
address from the dealership sales records. Please provide this information directly on the second copy of the listing next to the applicable VIN so that our records may be updated and the appropriate notification mailed to the owner. This second copy should then be submitted to the address listed below in the previously supplied yellow campaign envelopes.
GMC Truck Division
General Motors Corporation
101 Union Street
Plymouth, Michigan 48170
OWNER NOTIFICATION
Owners will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by GMC Truck Division (see copy of owner letter included with this bulletin). A listing of owner names and addresses has been furnished to the involved dealers to enable dealers to follow up with owners involved in this campaign. This listing 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 this campaign.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
1. Apply parking brake.
2. With engine off, place the gear selector in the Drive 1 position.
3. Open hood.
4. Disconnect negative battery cable.
5. Remove retaining clip (245) with a small screwdriver or needle nose pliers and discard.
6. Replace with new retaining clip making sure that the washer and retaining clip (245) are installed as shown in the illustration.
PARTS INFORMATION
A sufficient quantity of retainers will be preshipped to involved dealers to cover the number
of vehicles on their lists. The parts will be supplied at no charge to the dealer.
PART
NUMBER DESCRIPTION QUANTITY
15553615 Retainer 1 Per Vehicle
If additional parts are required, they may be obtained by contacting Adistra Corporation, (313) 455- 9072. Do not order from General Motors Service Parts Operation (GMSPO).
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Dealers should submit an accurately filled out Warranty Repair Order on each vehicle completed under this campaign.
LABOR
OPERATION *TIME TROUBLE
NUMBER DESCRIPTION ALLOWANCE CODE
V5330 Install retainer 0.2 Hr 96
* For dealer to receive Administrative Time Allowance associated with this campaign, add 0.1 hour to the Labor Operation Time Allowance.
CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL
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 maybe inserted with a typewriter or ball point 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.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
Procedures covering this campaign are outlined in Section V of your dealership's "GM Truck Claims Processing Manual" # P 8819.
Dear GMC Truck Owner:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1989 M-Vans. These vehicles may have a loose retainer securing the automatic transmission control rod linkage to the steering column lower shift lever. This looseness may allow the retainer to disengage, resulting in a separation of the control rod from the lower shift lever. When this occurs, the shift indicator may not reflect the gear the transmission is in. In this situation, the driver could believe the transmission is in a forward gear when actually it is in reverse, or vice versa. Additionally, the engine could be started with the transmission in gear. Either of these conditions could lead to a vehicle crash without prior warning.
To correct this condition, it will be necessary to install a new transmission linkage retainer on all involved vehicles. This service will be completed for you at no charge.
Instructions for performing this service have been sent to your GMC Truck dealer. Parts are available. Please contact your dealer to arrange a service date. The labor time necessary to perform this correction will be approximately 15 minutes. Please ask your dealer how much additional time will be needed to process your vehicle.
Your GMC Truck dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide service to ensure your vehicle is corrected as promptly as possible. However, if you take your vehicle to your dealer on the agreed service date and they do not service this condition on that date or within five days, we recommend you contact your nearest GMC Truck Zone Office by telephone. The Zone Office will assist you and your dealer in getting your vehicle corrected. The telephone numbers of the Zone Offices are listed in your Warranty and Owner Assistance Information Manual.
After contacting your dealer and the Zone Office, if you are still not satisfied that we have done our best to remedy 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 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 making the necessary condition to your vehicle in the shortest possible time. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please let us know by completing the postage paid owner 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.