Owner Letter
March, 1991
Dear Pontiac Owner:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
REASON FOR THIS RECALL
As we informed you in our previous letter, General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1984-90 Pontiac Firebird model vehicles. Some seat belt buckle assemblies in these vehicles may not latch, or may not release, due to fracture of the red pushbutton which can occur during seat belt connection or disconnection. These buckle malfunctions would prevent a person from using his seat belt system, and the risk of injury to an unbelted person in an accident would be increased.
In our previous letter, we made replacement of all vehicle seat belt buckle assemblies available to those owners who were currently experiencing any of the above conditions. However, since our last contact, General Motors has developed a preventative repair for those vehicles which have not experienced a pushbutton fracture or have not had all seat belt buckles replaced.
WHAT WE WILL DO
To prevent the possibility of a pushbutton fracture condition occurring, your Pontiac dealer will replace all pushbutton assemblies and install protector shields to the buckle assemblies (except for certain 1989 and all 1990 vehicles which do not need protectors). Also, any buckle assemblies which are found to have fractured buttons will be replaced.
This service will be performed for you at no charge.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
Please contact your Pontiac dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date and so that the dealer may order the proper parts to perform this repair. You may also make arrangements to have the vehicle towed to the dealer if the driver-side buckle is inoperative. Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your dealer and parts are available. The labor time necessary to perfom this service correction is approximately fifteen (15) minutes. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to schedule and process your vehicle.
Your Pontiac 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 he does not remedy this condition on that date, or within five (5) days, we recommend you contact the Pontiac Customer Assistance Center by calling: 1-800-762-2737.
After contacting your dealer and the Pontiac Customer Assistance Center, 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, DC 20590 or call 1-800-424-9393 (Washington, DC residents use 366-0123).
The enclosed Campaign Owner Reply Card identifies your Pontiac vehicle. Presentation of the card to your dealer will assist in making the correction 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.