CAMPAIGN : INCORRECT REAR BRAKE SYSTEM (JA2)

MODELS AFFECTED: 1984 CENTURY WAGONS

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 sixty (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 an appointment with each owner and to repair their vehicle as soon as possible. As you will see in reading the attached copy of the letter which is being sent to owners, the owners are being instructed to contact the Buick home office if their dealer does not remedy the condition within five (5) days of the agreed service date. If the condition is not remedied within a reasonable time, the owners are instructed on how to contact the Natioral Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

CONDITION

General Motors has determined that some 1984 Century Wagons were assembled with a JA2 rear system instead of the correct JA3 brake system. These vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 105 "Hydraulic Brake Systems." Under certain conditions, these vehicles may exceed the maximum stopping distance permitted by FMVSS 105. Should a stopping distance conforming with FMVSS 105 be required while the vehicle is being driven, a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.

DEALER ACTION

Dealers are to install the correct JA3 brake system parts on vehicles involved as instructed in the "Technical Procedure" of this bulletin. Parts to be replaced are rear brake assemblies, rear brake drums, and master cylinder proportioner valves.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

Certain 1984 Century Wagons which were assembled with JA2 brake systems with the following Vehicle Identification Numbers: Up To Assembly Plant Beginning VIN and Including -------------- ------------- ------------ Doraville ED414116 ED468111 Oklahoma City E6510488 E6545193

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.

This bulletin is notice to you that the new motor vehicles included in this campaign may not comply with the standard identification above. Under Sections 108 and 114 of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, 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 campaign correction, your dealership may be subject to a civil penalty up to $1,000 for each such sale.

DEALER MATERIAL

If your dealership has vehicles involved in this campaign, you will receive the following items:

List of all vehicles involved in this campaign shipped to your dealership.

One (1) campaign identification label per vehicle involved.

One (1) JA3 brake system identification label.

Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number computer listings. Computer listings contain the complete vehicle identification number, owner name and address data, and are furnished to the involved dealers with the campaign bulletin. Owner name and address data will enable dealers to follow-up with owners involved in this campaign.

These computer listings 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 the follow-up necessary to complete this campaign.

OWNER NOTIFICATION

Owners of vehicles involved in this campaign will be notified by Buick Motor Division (see copy of owner letter included with this bulletin).

TRANSFER OF VEHICLE

If a vehicle has been transferred or sold to another location, please forward Campaign Identification Label and vehicle information for this vehicle to your Buick Zone Office for handling with the proper dealers.

CHANGE OF OWNER INFORMATION

Dealers are to use the Dealer Communication System (D.C.S.) to provide Buick Motor Division with subsequent Buick owner information. By reporting a change of owner name or address of a vehicle in campaign status over the D.C.S., the need to send in an S-866 form for that vehicle is eliminated. Terminal input instructions are covered in the D.C.S. Manual under Section 9, page 9-J01A and B.

PARTS INFORMATION

The parts required to complete this campaign are to be obtained from GMWDD for each vehicle involved as listed below.

Description Usage Part Number Quantity ----------- ----- ----------- -------- *Package, Rear Brake 1984 Century Wagons 18012746 1 Per Assembly & Proportioner with Gas Engines Vehicle Valve

*Package, Rear Brake 1984 Century Wagons 18012747 1 Per Assembly & Proportioner with Diesel Engines Vehicle Valve

Rear Brake Drum 1984 Century Wagons 25518892 2 Per Vehicle

*These packages included a right and left rear brake assembly (backing plate with wheel cylinder, brake shoes installed) and two (2) brake proportioner valves.

DO NOT ORDER A BRAKE PACKAGE UNLESS YOU HAVE A VEHICLE INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN. THESE PACKAGES ARE AVAILABLE IN LIMITED QUANTITIES AND ARE NON-RETURNABLE.

To ensure this part will be obtained as soon as possible, it should be ordered from GMWDD on a C.I.O. order with no special instruction code, but order on an advise code.

TECHNICAL PROCEDURE

1. Open vehicle hood and cover fenders.

2. Place material under proportioner valve connections to protect under hood parts from brake fluid.

3. Refer to Figure #1 and replace front and rear brake proportioner valves.

4. Replace right and left rear brake assemblies using the following procedure on each side.

a. Hoist vehicle.

b. Remove rear wheel and tire assembly.

c. Remove rear brake drum.

Do not hammer on brake drum, as damage to bearings could result.

d. Disconnect brake pipe from wheel cylinder.

e. Remove the hub and bearing assembly using a #50 torx driver tool (Special Tool #J-23457).

f. Reinstall one mounting bolt to hold the backing plate to the axle.

g. Disconnect the parking brake cable from the backing plate by depressing three prongs with a screwdriver while pulling the cable out.

h. Loosen the parking brake adjuster until all the tension is removed from the parking brake cable return spring.

i. Remove the parking brake strut and spring.

j. Disconnect the parking brake cable end from the parking brake lever.

k. Remove the backing plate assembly.

l. Remove the parking brake strut and spring from the new backing plate assembly and set them aside.

m. Insert the parking brake cable part way into the new backing plate. Connect the parking brake cable end to the parking brake lever. Then push the cable all the way into the new backing plate until it locks.

n. Reinstall the parking brake strut and spring.

o. Install the new backing plate assembly and the hub and bearing assembly on the axle and torque the mounting bolts to 60 N.m (45 ft. lbs.).

p. Reconnect the brake pipe and torque to 20 N.m (15 ft. lbs.).

5. Inspect both backing plate assemblies to insure all parts are present and properly installed.

6. Install the new brake drums and adjust the brake shoes first until there is noticeable drag on the drums, and then back off the adjusters until there is no drag.

7. Reinstall the rear wheel and tire assemblies and torque lug nuts to 140 N.m (100 ft. lbs.).

8. Adjust the parking brake cable so that, with the parking brake pedal depressed three (3) clicks, the right-rear wheel can just be turned rearward using two hands, but is locked when forward rotation is attempted. Refer to page 5-34 in the "1984 Chassis Service Manual."

It is important that the parking brake is not adjusted too tightly causing brake drag.

9. Remove and discard the rear axle bar code label located on trailing axle assembly.

10. Lower vehicle and bleed the brake system at rear wheel cylinders until all air is removed. Refer to page 5-12, 5-13, and 5-14 in the "1984 Chassis Service Manual."

11. Fill master cylinder to proper level and check brake system for any leaks. Correct leaks as required.

12. Affix furnished JA3 identification labels next to the Service Parts Identification Label. This label is located near the right rear wheel well under spare tire cover.

13. Remove and discard the master, cylinder bar code label.

14. Install a Campaign Identification Label.

Each label provides a space to include the campaign number, the five (5) digit Dealer Code of the dealer performing the campaign service, and the date vehicle was campaigned. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or ballpoint pen. When installing label, clean the surface of the radiator upper mounting panel and apply the campaign label where it is readily visible.

DISPOSITION OF PARTS

Replaced parts must be held for disposition by Buick Contact Personnel. Parts must have a claim tag attached showing the repair order and the VIN of the vehicle from which they were removed.

WARRANTY INFORMATION

Dealers are to submit each campaigned vehicle as a separate case on the one-line Warranty Document form S-764. Dealers submitting warranty claims by teletype terminal are to transmit campaign completions as a separate case also.

LABOR AND PARTS CREDIT

SUBLET PART FAILED PARTS FAILURE LABOR LABOR OTHER DEALER OPER. COUNT PART NO. ALLOW CODE OP. NO. HOURS HOURS MTL.TWG ---- ----- -------- ----- ---- ------- ----- ----- -------

Install JA3 Brake System Parts 3 * ++ 96 V2780 1.8 +++.1 ++++

* List the part number of brake package installed. ++ List current dealer price plus 30% of installed parts. +++ .1 hour for administration. ++++ List current dealer price plus 30% of brake fluid used.

To assure accurate records of all transactions on this campaign, it is recommended that campaign repairs for each vehicle be listed on the same repair order, and warranty cases other than campaigns may be listed on the same warranty document.

Warranty documents on this campaign are not to be sent to the Zone Office. Send directly to Buick - Flint as is done with normal submissions of warranty documents.

Zone authorization is not required.

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 some 1984 Century Wagons were assembled with a JA2 rear system instead of the correct JA3 brake system. These vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 105 "Hydraulic Brake Systems." Under, certain conditions, these vehicles may exceed the maximum stopping distance permitted by FMVSS 105. Should a stopping distance conforming with FMVSS 105 be required while the vehicle is being driven, a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning. To remedy this nonconformance with FMVSS 105, your Buick Dealer will install the correct rear brake system parts on your vehicle. This service will be performed at no charge to you.

Instructions for making this replacement have been sent to your Buick Dealer. It is estimated that parts will be available on Auqust 16, 1985. Please contact your dealer to arrange a service date. The labor time to complete this service is about two (2) hours. Please ask your dealer how much additional time will be needed to process your vehicle.

Your Buick 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 days, we recommend you contact the Customer Assistance Department, Flint home office, by calling:

800-521-7300 for all except residents of Alaska and Hawaii. In Alaska, call (503) 641-8350. In Hawaii, call (805) 497-8561.

After contacting your dealer and the Buick home 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 426-0123).

The enclosed Owner Reply Card identifies your 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.

General Motors bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, not a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, do not assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See a General Motors dealer servicing your brand of General Motors vehicle for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.