CAMPAIGN: TRAILER HITCH TO FRAME ATTACHMENT
Subject: PRODUCT SAFETY CAMPAIGN 82C08 TRAILER HITCH TO FRAME ATTACHMENT 1982 CHEVROLET SUBURBANS EQUIPPED WITH RPO VR4 (PLATFORM TYPE TRAILER HITCH)
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.
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 nearest Chevrolet Zone office if their 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, they are instructed on how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
CONDITION INVOLVED
General Motors has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on some 1982 Chevrolet Suburbans equipped with platform-type trailer hitches (RPO VR4).
The platform trailer hitches on these vehicles may not have been assembled with sufficient Hitch-to-Frame Attachment Bolt clamp load. Should this condition exist, the trailer hitch attaching parts may loosen and break. If this occurs while a trailer is being pulled, the hitch and trailer could separate and a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are certain 1982 Chevrolet Suburbans equipped with RPO VR4 (Platform Type Trailer Hitch) assembled at Flint within the following breakpoints:
Plant From Thru ------ -------- -------- Flint CF100003 CF103144
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 to the follow-up necessary to complete this campaign. Any dealer not receiving a computer listing with the campaign bulletin was not shipped any involved vehicles.
OWNER NOTIFICATION
Owners will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by Chevrolet Motor Division (see copy of Owner Letter included with this bulletin).
DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY
Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this campaign, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward.
Whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign is taken into your new or used vehicle inventory or in your dealership for service in the future, you should take the steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
STEP 1 (INSPECT)
Visually inspect for contact between the lower edge of the bumper and either of the hitch side rails, as referenced in Figure 1. If no contact exists, take no further action.
IF CONTACT EXISTS AS SHOWN IN FIGURE 2, PROCEED TO STEP 2.
STEP 2 (BUMPER CLEARANCE ADJUSTMENT)
Loosen ten (five per side) bumper bracket-to-frame bolts (Refer to Figure 3). Then, if the bumper can be lifted to clear the hitch rails, skip Step 3 and proceed to Step 4.
STEP 3 (IF ADDITIONAL CLEARANCE IS REQUIRED)
Loosen eight (four per side) bumper to bracket bolts. Gently pry the bumper upward to assure sufficient bumper to hitch rail clearance.
STEP 4 (ADJUST AND TIGHTEN HITCH)
Loosen four (two per side) hitch to frame bolts. Pry the hitch as far forward as possible. Tighten two (one per side) rear hitch to frame bolts to assure metal to metal contact between hitch and frame rail at bolt hole location. Then tighten two (one per side) front hitch to frame bolts (use 70 ft. lbs. torque). See Step 5 for rear Hitch-to-Frame Bolt procedure.
STEP 5
Replace the (2) existing rear hitch to frame bolts (one per side) with new ones. New nuts and washers should likewise be replaced (torque to 55 ft. lbs.). Retighten all remaining bumper bolts (use 70 ft. lbs.).
STEP 6
Install campaign label according to instructions contained in this bulletin.
PARTS INFORMATION
Parts to complete this campaign are to be obtained from your Warehousing and Distribution Division of General Motors.
Part Number Quantity Description ----------- ------------- ----------- 2436165 2 Per Vehicle Washer 9422301 2 Per Vehicle Nut 427566 2 Per Vehicle Bolt
CLAIM INFORMATION
Submit a Product Claim with the information indicated below:
Parts Failed **Parts Failure Labor Labor *Other Count Part No. Allowance Code Operation Hours Hours ----- -------- --------- -------- --------- ----- ----- 00 V1160 .2 .1
Description: Inspect for contact as described in Step 1. If no contact exists, no further action required.
6 427566 00 V1161 .6 .1
Description: Inspect, reposition as necessary and retorque hitch to frame bolts, and replace the two (2) existing rear hitch to frame bolts according to the instructions outlined in this bulletin.
* Campaign Administrative Allowance
** The Parts Allowance should be the sum total of the current WDDGM Dealer Net plus 30% of all parts required for the repair.
Dealers will automatically receive the correct parts and labor allowance based on the Labor Operation performed.
Refer to the Chevrolet Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Campaign claim submission.
CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL
Each vehicle modified in accordance with the instructions out- lined in this Product Campaign Bulletin will require a "Campaign Identification Label". Each label provides a space to include the five digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or ballpoint pen.
Each "Campaign Identification Label" is to be located on the radiator core support in an area which will be visible when the vehicle is brought in for periodic servicing by the owner.
Apply "Campaign Identification Label" only on a clean dry surface.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
REFER TO THE CURRENT CHEVROLET SERVICE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL AND CLAIMS PROCESSING MANUAL FOR CAMPAIGN HANDLING AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES.
Dear Chevrolet Owner:
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 a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on some 1982 Chevrolet Suburbans equipped with platform-type trailer hitches (RPO VR4).
The platform trailer hitches on these vehicles may not have been assembled with sufficient hitch-to-frame attachment bolt clamp load. Should this condition exist, the trailer hitch attaching parts may loosen and break. If this occurs while a trailer is being pulled, the hitch and trailer could separate and a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.
To prevent the possibility of this condition occurring on your vehicle, please contact your Chevrolet Dealer on or after the date shown below to arrange a service date. Your Dealer will inspect your vehicle for proper trailer hitch mounting. If necessary, they will reposition the hitch and rear bumper, re-torque the attachment bolts and replace the existing rear hitch-to-frame bolts. This service will be performed at no charge to you.
Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your Chevrolet Dealer. It is estimated the parts will be available on March 25, 1982. The labor time necessary to perform the inspection is approximately fifteen minutes. If your Dealer must reposition the trailer hitch and replace the rear bolts, the labor time will be approximately 40 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 Chevrolet Zone Office, either in person or by telephone, for assistance. The locations and phone numbers of the 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.
