Recall - Child Restraint Anchorage Non-Compliance: Overview
File In Section: Product RecallsBulletin No.: 04038
Date: September 2004
SUBJECT:
CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEM
MODELS:
2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS
2003-2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
2003 GMC SAVANA
2003-2004 GMC SIERRA
EQUIPPED WITH COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) FUEL SYSTEM
(RPO KL8/KL6)
CONDITION
General Motors has decided that certain 2003 model year Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles, and 2003 and 2004 model year Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra vehicles converted to compressed natural gas, fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 225, Child Restraint Anchorage System. The Standard requires child seat lower anchorages in two seating positions for vehicles with three rear seating positions, and requires front passenger seat child seat lower anchorages in vehicles that are equipped with an air bag off switch. Some of these vehicles were built with three rear seating positions but with only one seat equipped with child restraint lower anchorages, or have an air bag off switch and no child restraint lower anchorages.
CORRECTION
If the vehicle has three rear seating positions, dealers are to install child seat lower anchorages to the front passenger seat. This will allow two positions for a child restraint. If the vehicle has only front seats, the air bag off switch will be disabled, a new air bag warning label will be installed on the sun visor, and the Owner's Manual will be updated, if applicable.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are certain 2003 model year Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles, and 2003 and 2004 model year Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra vehicles converted to compressed natural gas and built within these 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 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.
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 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.
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 indicated.
Refer to the General Motors WINS Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Recall Claim Submission.
CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION
General Motors will notify customers of this recall on their vehicle (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin).
DEALER RECALL RESPONSIBILITY
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. It 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.
Disclaimer