Recall - Safety Belt Buckle Anchor Fracture: Overview
SAFETYBulletin No.: 10370A
Date: January 04, 2011
Subject: 10370A - Safety Belt Buckle Anchor Fracture
Models:
2011 Cadillac SRX
2011 Chevrolet Equinox
2011 GMC Terrain
Supercede:
The Service Procedure in this bulletin has been revised to correct the model name in the second bulletin under Step 1. Please discard all copies of bulletin 10370, issued December 2010.
Condition
General Motors has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2011 model year Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain. On some of these vehicles, the driver and/or front passenger safety belt buckle anchor may fracture and separate near the seat attachment in a vehicle crash. If this were to occur, the safety belt system may not restrain the occupant(s) as designed and could increase the risk of injury.
Correction
Dealers are to modify the passenger and, in some cases, the driver safety belt buckles.
Vehicles Involved
Involved are certain 2011 model year Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain vehicles.
All involved vehicles are identified by VIN in the Global Warranty Management System - Investigate Vehicle History (GMVIS2) Application. Dealership technicians should always check this site to confirm vehicle involvement prior to beginning any required inspections and/or repairs. It is essential to routinely verify eligibility because not all similar vehicles may be involved regardless of description or option content.
For dealers with involved vehicles, a listing with involved vehicles containing the complete vehicle identification number, customer name, and address information has been prepared and will be provided to US and Canadian dealers through the GM GlobalConnect Recall Reports, or sent directly to export dealers. Dealers will not have a report available if they have no involved vehicles currently assigned.
The listing 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
No parts are required for this recall.
Service Procedure
1. Determine which seat belt buckle(s) require rework.
- SRX - the driver and passenger seat belt buckles require rework. Proceed to Step 2.
- Equinox/Terrain - Determine the 11th character of the VIN (will be the number following the "B").
- If the 11th character of the VIN is "1 " and the last 8 of the VIN is lower than B1147725, the driver and passenger seat belt buckles require rework.
- If the 11th character of the VIN is "1 " and the last 8 of the VIN is equal to or greater than B1147725, only the passenger seat belt buckle requires rework. The driver seat belt buckle has already been reworked.
- If the 11th character of the VIN is "6 " and the last 8 of VIN is lower than B6242515, the driver and passenger seat belt buckles require rework.
- If the 11th character of the VIN is "6 " and the last 8 of the VIN is equal to or greater than B6242515, only the passenger seat belt buckle requires rework. The driver seat belt buckle has already been reworked.
2. Based on the determination of Step 1, remove the appropriate seat(s) from the vehicle. Refer to Front Seat Replacement in SI.
Note
The seat belt buckle assembly angle must be marked with a marker prior to removal so that the seat belt buckle assembly alignment is correct on reassembly.
3. Use a marker to highlight the edge of the seat belt buckle assembly to the seat frame. Refer to illustration.
4. Remove the seat belt buckle assembly and place it on a work bench or vise.
5. Using a hammer, bend the anti-rotation tab (1) on the seat belt buckle assembly. Ensure that the anti-rotation tab is bent down into the tab notch (B). Refer to the illustration.
Note
Use the seat buckle assembly orientation reference mark created in Step 3 to ensure that the seat belt buckle assembly is installed at the correct angle.
6. Re-install the seat belt buckle assemblies to the appropriate seat(s). Refer to Front Seat Belt Buckle Replacement in SI.
7. Install the seat(s). Refer to Front Seat Replacement in SI.
Courtesy Transportation - For US and Canada
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 Warranties. The availability of courtesy transportation to customers whose vehicles are within the warranty coverage period and involved in a product program 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.
Warranty Transaction Information
Submit a transaction using the table below.
Customer Notification - For US and Canada
General Motors will notify customers of this recall on their vehicle (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin).
Customer Notification - For Export
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 Export (US States, Territories, and Possessions)
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. 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. 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