CAMPAIGN: CLUTCH CABLE TO MASTER CYL. PIPE INTERFERENCE
Models Affected: 1982 Skylarks Equipped with Manual Transmission and Power Brakes
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 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.
In order to avoid having to provide these burdensome solutions, every effort must be made to promptly schedule an appointment with each owner and to repair his vehicle as soon as possible. As you will see in reading the attached copy of the letter which is being sent to owners, the owner is being instructed to contact the nearest Buick Zone Office if his dealer does not remedy the condition within five days of the mutually agreed upon service date. If the condition is not remedied within a reasonable time, he is instructed on how to contact tne National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
CONDITION
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1982 Skylark models equipped with a four speed manual transmission and a power brake system. The clutch cable on these vehicles may rub against the master cylinder brake pipe when the clutch pedal is operated. Over an extended period of operation, the insulation on the clutch cable could wear through resulting in a metal-to-metal contact. Should this condition exist, it could eventually result in the failure of the brake pipe causing loss of brake fluid and a partial loss of braking action.
Because these vehicles are equipped with a dual braking system, part of the system will remain functional allowing the vehicle to be stopped but over a greater distance. Should a partial loss of braking action occur while the vehicle is in motion at a time when minimum stopping distances are required, a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Certain 1982 Skylark models equipped with a manual four speed transmission and power brakes included in the following vehicle identification numbers:
Assembly Plant
Willow Run - Start of Production thru CW423522 Tarrytown - Start of Production thru CT118647
DEALER ACTION
Dealers are to check for 13mm (1/2") clearance between the clutch cable and the left front brake pipe at the master cylinder.
Dealers are to perform this recall campaitn at no charge to the owners on affected vehicles, regardless of time, mileage or ownership, and are to correct all affected vehicles in dealer new and used car inventory prior to their sale.
Whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign is taken into your new or used car inventory in the future, you should take steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before reselling the vehicle.
Dealers are to perform the campaign services on all affected vehicles as they are brought in for any kind of service until all affected vehicles have been corrected.
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.
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 furnished will enable dealers to follow up with owners involved in this campaign.
These 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 for 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 on your list is not in your area, please forward campaign identificatlon label and vehicle information for this vehicle to your Buick Zone Office for handling with the proper dealer.
PARTS INFORMATION
Should it be necessary to install a clip, it is available through your Zone Office on request. Pop rivets may be obtained from a local source.
TECHNICAL PROCEDURE
1. Make sure clutch cable is located in the clip on the inside of the left front shock tower. See Figure 1.
2. If the cable is not tight in the clip then remove the cable from the clip and bend the clip closed and snap the cable back into the clip. Check for minimum clearance of 13mm (1/2"). See Figure 1.
3. If clearance is less than specified, reform brake pipe as necessary to provide a minimum 13mm (1/2") clearance between the clutch cable and brake pipe.
4. Should the clip be broken, missing or mispositioned, a new clip may be installed using the following procedure:
a. Remove the two nuts attaching the master cylinder to the brake booster. Slide the master cylinder off the studs and let it hang on the brake pipes.
b. Locate the weld flange on the left shock tower. Center punch and drill a 3/16" hole in the weld flange at the location shown in Figure 2. Also drill a 3/16" hole in a new clip.
c. Using a 3/16" pop rivet, attach the new clip on the left shock tower in the location shown on Figure 2.
d. Squeeze the clip closed and snap the cable into the clip. Follow the above procedure to obtain minimum clearance.
c. Reinstall master cylinder and torque attaching nuts to 30-45 N-M (22-30 ft. lb).
5. After the above has been completed, install a campaign identification label as follows:
Each label provides a space to include the campaign number, the five (5) dlgit 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 baffle and apply the campaign label where it is readily visible.
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.
Use the one applicable labor operation.
List .1 hour for administration in other labor hour.
OPERATION TROUBLE OTHER LABOR OPERATION NUMBER CODE LABOR HOURS
Inspection and Correction V1120 96 .2 hr. .1 hr.
Inspection, Correction dnd Install Clip V1121 96 .2 hr. .1 hr.
To assure accurate records of all transactions on this campaign, it is recommended that campaign repairs for each vehicle be listed on a separate repair order. Other repairs perfomed to the vehicle may 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.
Dear Buick Owner.
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Trafflc and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
General Motors has determined that a defective which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 1982 Skylark models equipped with a four speed manual transmission and a power brake system. The clutch cable on these vehicles may rub against the master cylinder brake pipe when the clutch pedal is operated. Over an extended period of operation, the insulation on the clutch cable could wear through resulting in a metal-to-metal contact. Should this condition exist, it could eventually result in the failure of the brake pipe causing loss of brake fluid and a partial loss of braking action. Because these vehicles are equipped with a dual braking system, part of the system will remain functional allowing the vehicle to be stopped but over a greater distance. Should a partial loss of braking action occur while the vehicle is in motion at a time when minimum stopping distances are required, a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.
To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring on your vehicle, your Buick dealer will inspect your vehicle for proper clearance between the clutch cable and the left front master cylinder brake pipe and, if necessary, will make modifications to provide the specified clearance at no charge to you.
Instructions for making this inspection and modification have been sent to your Buick dealer. Please contact your dealer to arrange a mutually satisfactory service date. The labor time necessary to perform this inspection and modification is approximately 15 minutes. Please allow additional time for the dealer to process your vehicle.
If you take your vehicle to your dealer on the agreed service date and they do not remedy this condition without charge on that date or within five days, you should contact your nearest Buick Offlce either in person or by telephone for assistance. The locations and phone numbers of Zone Offices are listed in your Owner's Manual. If your dealer or General Motors fails or is unable to remedy this condition without charge within a reasonable time, you may wish to notify the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590.
The enclosed Owner Reply Card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist them in making the necessary correction to your vehicle 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.
