Recall - VECI Label Replacement
NUMBER: WXJ-67DATE: 6/15/98
APPLICABILITY:
1999MY LEGACY SUS
SUBJECT:
VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL INFORMATION (VECI) LABEL
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) has determined that a number of 1999 model Subaru Legacy Sport Utility Sedan (SUS) were inadvertently manufactured with an incorrect underhood Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) label. The incorrect underhood emission label identifies these vehicles as complying with 1998 model passenger car standards, and has no impact on emission performance or drive ability.
Therefore, SOA will notify the potentially affected 1999 model Subaru Legacy SUS vehicle owners that they should contact their dealer who will replace the underhood VECI label with an improved label at no cost to the vehicle owner.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
The affected vehicles are 1999 model 2.5L Subaru Legacy SUS and were sold in all 50-States and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. The respective Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) range is outlined.
Involved vehicles identified in the preceding chart may include vehicles, which were not imported in the U.S. market. Vehicles can be confirmed using vehicle inquiry under the Dealer Communication System (DCS). Computer listings containing the VIN, owner's name and address data will be furnished to authorized Subaru Dealers under separate cover. The owner name and address will enable dealers to follow-up with owners of potentially affected vehicles.
Dealers that do not receive a computer listing have no vehicles currently involved.
OWNER NOTIFICATION
SOA will prepare and mail an Owner Notification Letter to the owners of all potentially affected vehicles. The owner notification is scheduled for June 30, 1998.
DEALER PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITY
Dealers are to promptly correct all affected vehicles in their inventory (new, used, and demo) in accordance with the instructions in the Service Procedure Section of this bulletin. Additionally, whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign is taken into new or used vehicle inventory, or it is in your dealership for service in the future, you should take the necessary campaign correction steps before selling or releasing the vehicle.
Dealers are to contact owners of vehicles sold since the date of the computer listing from your new vehicle inventory, provide them with a copy of the Owner Notification Letter, and arrange to make the required campaign correction according to the instructions in the Service Procedure Section of this bulletin.
Both the California Air Resources Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency consider the underhood VECI label as an emission system component, whose distribution is strictly controlled and supported by regulatory penalty provisions. In order to prevent intentional or inadvertent illegal applications of the underhood VECI for other than the correction of the potentially affected vehicles identified in this bulletin, authorized Subaru Dealers will be held accountable for all allocated corrected VECI labels. Accordingly, the dealer is required to return by no later than December 31, 1999 (for California dealers June 30, 2000) all damaged and unused corrected VECI labels to SOA Governmental Affairs. A dealer's failure to return all damaged and unused corrected VECI labels will result in SOA debiting the equivalent number of dealer claims.
Please do not let the customer wait longer than necessary for servicing the vehicle. Every effort should be made to reduce inconvenience to our customers. Thank them for their interest in keeping their Subaru vehicle properly maintained.
PARTS INFORMATION
Corrected VECI labels will be provided at no charge to only Subaru Dealers who have vehicles listed on the affected dealer computer printout. Additional quantities are available through your area/distributor service office.
VEHICLE SERVICE PROCEDURE
Step 1) Verify that the vehicle is covered under this campaign. Coverage can be confirmed using (1) vehicle coverage inquiry under the Dealer Communications System (DCS), or (2) confirming the California (U1)/Federal (U0) specification code on the Option Code label located in the upper left corner of the engine compartment. (See Figure 1)
Step 2) Park the vehicle in a safe place and turn the ignition switch "OFF". Apply the "Parking Brake". Verify that the transmission is in "P" position for automatic equipped models and in neutral for manual equipped models.
Step 3) Open the hood and secure the hood stay properly.
WARNING:
THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COMPONENTS MAY BE EXTREMELY HOT. ALWAYS ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME FOR COOLING BEFORE PERFORMING ANY WORK UNDER THE HOOD.
Step 4) Locate the existing underhood Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) label.
Step 5) Use a dry cloth to clean the present VECI label surface. (If the vehicle presented for repair does not have a VECI label, clean the correct underhood mounting area. (See Figure 2)
Step 6) Remove the protective backing of the supplied corrected label and affix it directly over the existing "Vehicle Emission Control Information" label.
Note:
The adhesive on this label is permanent. There is only one chance for underhood application. Old label should be completely covered by new label.
Step 7) Apply a campaign "WXJ-67" completion label. This label should be affixed on a clean dry surface to the radiator core support panel in an area, which will be visible, when the vehicle is brought in for periodic servicing by the owner. Close the hood.
CAMPAIGN COMPLETION LABEL
Each vehicle corrected in accordance with the instructions outlined in this bulletin will require a campaign "WXJ-67" completion label. Each label provides a space to include the dealer code performing the campaign repair procedure. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or permanent ink pen.
A quantity of 10 labels is being provided to each dealer with this bulletin. Additional quantities of these labels are available through your area/distributor service office.
CLAIMS PROCESSING REIMBURSEMENT INFORMATION
Credit to perform campaign WXJ-67 recall will be based on the submission of a properly completed repair order information. Dealers may enter the applicable claim information through their Dealer Communications System (DCS).
All properly submitted claims will receive an automatic credit of 0.2 labor hours for replacement of the Vehicle Emission Control Information label.
Corrected VECI labels will be provided to the dealer at no charge.
Listed is the claim entry information.
We recommend that you establish a file for this campaign and keep all documents relating to this corrective repair action in that file. We also suggest that you discuss this campaign with members of your staff so that they will be knowledgeable in the proper handling procedures. These steps should ensure in customer satisfaction.
CORRECTED VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL INFORMATION LABEL
CALIFORNIA SPECIFICATIONS
FEDERAL SPECIFICATIONS
Disclaimer