CAMPAIGN: STEEL WHEELS

SUBJECT: STEEL WHEELS

YEAR: 1988 - 1990

MODEL: CUTLASS SUPREME

IMPORTANT

It has been determined that a number of vehicles previously inspected under the original Oldsmobile safety recall campaign bulletin, 90-C-11 "STEEL WHEELS", issued April 1994, and expanded by campaign bulletin 90-C-11A issued March 1995, will require re-inspection. A new safety campaign and new labor codes are being issued for administrative purposes. A second owner letter will be sent to the involved owners (see "OWNER LETTER").

Vehicles previously inspected under 90-C-1 1 that had less than four (4) wheels replaced are to be re-inspected. If the wheel codes were noted on the dealer repair order and are not included in this campaign, the owner could be contacted by telephone and advised that a trip to the service department is not necessary. For those customers who had less than all four (4) wheels replaced and the codes were not noted on the dealer repair order, a return trip to the service department is required,

TO: ALL OLDSMOBILE RETAILERS

The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, as amended, provides that each vehicle 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 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 included copy of the letter that is being sent to owners, the owners are being instructed to contact the Oldsmobile Customer Assistance Network (OCAN) if their retailer does not remedy the condition within five (5) 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.

DEFECT INVOLVED

General Motors decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1988 through 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme model vehicles equipped with 14 inch steel wheels (RPO PB9). These vehicles may exhibit a condition in which cracks develop in the wheel mounting surface and, should the cracks become severe enough, the wheel could completely separate from the vehicle. If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, steering and braking control of the vehicle could be affected, and a vehicle crash could result without prior warning.

To prevent this condition from occurring, retailers are to re-inspect the manufacturing date codes stamped on each wheel to determine if the wheels were produced during a suspect period. Whenever a wheel falls within the specified date code range, retailers are to replace that wheel assembly.

VEHICLES INVOLVED

Certain 1988 through 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme vehicles equipped with 14 inch steel wheels (RPO PB9) within the breakpoints listed below:

YEAR MODEL MODEL NAME BEGINNING VIN ENDING VIN

1988 W Cutlass Supreme JD344469 JD394848 1989(lstgroup-breakpoints) W Cutlass Supreme KD300054 KD330670 1989 (2nd group - breakpoints) W Cutlass Supreme KD368137 KD372472 1990 W Cutlass Supreme LD360359 LD373552

Not all vehicles within the above breakpoints are involved.

NOTE: Only vehicles with the RPO PB9, 14 inch steel wheels are involved. Vehicles with the cast aluminum alloy wheels are not involved.

All vehicles listed on the retailer printout will require inspection and/or correction. Campaign involvement, or campaign completion of any vehicle(s) in question, can be verified by utilizing VISS (Vehicle Information Service System).

Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number Listings. Computer listings contain the complete Vehicle Identification Number, owner name and address data, and are furnished to involved retailers with the campaign bulletin. Owner name and address data furnished will enable retailers 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 retailer not receiving a computer listing with the campaign bulletin has no involved vehicles currently assigned.

The campaign printout sent to retailers, with involved vehicles, list only vehicles which are equipped with 14 inch (RPO PB9) steel wheels.

PARTS INFORMATION

Parts required to complete this campaign are to be obtained from GMSPO (General Motors Service Parts Operations). To ensure these parts will be obtained as soon as possible, they should be ordered from GMSPO on a C.I.O. order, with no special instruction code, but order on an advise code (2). All Goodwrench part system-test retailers should order on a "VIP" order.

DESCRIPTION PART NUMBER QUANTITY/VEHICLE

14 inch Steel Wheel 9592409 1 to 4 - as required Valve Stem 9439866 1 to 4 - as required

OWNER NOTIFICATION

Owners will be notified of this recall on their vehicles by Oldsmobile Division (see copy of the new (second) owner letter included with this bulletin).

RETAILER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY

All unsold new vehicles in retailers' possession and subject to this campaign must be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this campaign bulletin before owners take possession of these vehicles. After campaign is completed, the vehicle may be released for sale/delivery.

Retailers 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.

Owners of vehicles recently sold from your new vehicle inventory with no owner information indicated on the retailer listing are to be contacted by the retailer, and arrangements made to make the required correction according to the instructions contained in this bulletin. This could be done by mailing to such owners a copy of the owner's letter included in this bulletin. Campaign follow-up cards should not be used for this purpose, since the owner may not as yet have received the notification letter.

In summary, whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign is taken into your new or used vehicle inventory, or it is in your retail facility for service in the future, please take the steps necessary to be sure the campaign correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle. Your cooperation in completing this campaign as soon as possible will be greatly appreciated.

Retailers may also wish to contact owners on their involved vehicle list to inform them that the disc date codes were written on the original repair order and a trip to the retail facility is necessary.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

THE WHEEL MUST BE REPLACED IF CODES MATCH ANY OF THE COMBINATIONS BELOW OR ARE UNREADABLE/ILLEGIBLE: SUSPECT WHEEL CODES MANUFACTURER (M) PLANT (P) YEAR (Y) DISC CODE K 2 8 J K 2 8 K K 2 8 L K 2 8 M K 2 8 N K 2 8 0 K 2 8 P K 2 8 Q K 2 8 R K 2 8 S K 2 8 T K 2 8 U K 2 8 V K 2 8 W K 2 9 A K 2 9 B K 2 9 C K 2 9 Y K 2 9 EE K 2 9 FF K 2 9 GG K 2 9 JJ K 2 9 KK K 2 9 LL K 2 0 A

1. Remove wheel covers, using care to avoid damage to cover and wheel surfaces.

2. Thoroughly clean outer surface of wheel using appropriate cleaning materials and tools. Notice: Wheel must be cleaned to assure correct reading and interpretation of date code stamped on the center portion of the wheel.

3. Read and record on repair order date code data stamped on center portion of wheel in the following order, (See Figure 1):

A. Manufacturer, Plant and Year Codes. B. Disc Code. C. Day code is not to be considered.

4. Repeat above procedure for remaining three (3) wheels on vehicle.

5. As required by inspection, replace necessary wheels (and balance). Use torque stick (J 39544-15) and air gun to tighten lug nuts to appropriate torque. This should be done in two steps using the * (star) paftern. First, snug nuts down by hand. Then, using the * (star) pattern and a torque stick, tighten the wheel nuts to half the final torque. Finally, tighten the wheel nuts to specification using the * (star) pattern and torque stick. Use the same amount of impact wrench time as would normally be used without a torque stick.

6. Render all removed wheels unusable and scrap as required by Corporate Policy & Procedures.

7. Install a Campaign Identification Label.

CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL

Each label provides space to include the subject corporate campaign number and the Oldsmobile retailer identification code of the retailer completing the campaign service. This information must be inserted with a ball point pen. Servicing retailers are to ensure that these numbers are recorded and the label is properly affixed on a clean, dry surface of the radiator core support in an area clearly visible when the hood is raised. This label is to be used in conjunction with a clear protective plastic cover which will also be provided to retailers when labels are ordered. Additional labels and covers are available at no charge to you in sheet stock of forty nine (49) per sheet from the following source:

VISPAC, INCORPORATED 35000 INDUSTRIAL ROAD LIVONIA, MICHIGAN 48150

Phone: 1-800-269-5100 (Monday - Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Eastern Standard Time)

Important: Refer to ltem Number S-1015 when ordering GM Campaign ldentification Labels.

WARRANTY CLAIM INFORMATION

NOTE: THE ONE TENTH HOUR (.1 HR) ADMINISTRATION ALLOWANCE IS NOW INCLUDED IN THE "LABOR HOURS" TIME.

Submit claims using only one of the "V'labor operations below for each vehicle: FAILURE LABOR LABOR OPERATION CODE OPERATION HOURS

Verified wheel codes on prior repair order, no replacement necessary, Advise customer 96 V8625 .3 or Inspect all wheels - no wheels replaced Inspect all Wheels & Replace 1 Wheel 96 V8626 .6 Inspect all Wheels & Replace 2 Wheels 96 V8627 .8 Inspect all Wheels & Replace 3 Wheels 96 V8628 1.0 Inspect all Wheels & Replace 4 Wheels 96 V8629 1.2

Labor Hours for labor operations V8626 through V8629 includes time for replacement of valve stem and wheel balancing.

Administration Allowance: .1 hour for clerical administration is included in the time listed in the "Labor Hours" column.

Parts Allowance: The "Net Amount" should represent the retailer cost plus 30% for wheel(s), balance weights and valve stem(s) used in conjunction with the V8626 through V8629 labor operation numbers.

Dear Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Owner:

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

REASON FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL: In April 1994, General Motors decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1988 through 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme model vehicles equipped with 14 inch steel wheels. These vehicles may exhibit a condition in which cracks develop in the wheel mounting surface, and should the cracks become severe enough, the wheel could completely separate from the vehicle. If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, steering and braking control of the vehicle could be affected, and a vehicle crash could result without prior warning.

Since that time, an additional group of wheels have been identified as possibly exhibiting the same condition. A new campaign is being initiated to re-examine previously inspected 1988 through 1990 Cutlass Supreme vehicles and replace any suspect wheels from this additional population.

WHAT WE WILL DO: We apologize for causing you this inconvenience again, but to prevent this condition from occurring, your retailer will re-inspect the manufacturing date codes stamped on each wheel to determine if the wheels were produced during a suspect period. Whenever a wheel falls within the specified date code range, retailers are to replace that wheel assembly. This service will be performed for you at no charge.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Please contact your Oldsmobile retailer as soon as possible to arrange a service date. Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your retailer and parts are available. Please ask your retailer if you wish an estimate of the total time needed to schedule, process and return your vehicle. Included in this time would be about twelve (12) to sixty-six (66) minutes for a technician to perform the work required, depending on the number of wheels (if any) that may require replacement.

You may have your vehicle serviced at the authorized Oldsmobile retailer of your choice. Your Oldsmobile retailer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide service to promptly correct your vehicle. However, if you take your vehicle to your retailer on the agreed service date, and they do not remedy this condition then or within five days, we suggest you call Oldsmobile Customer Assistance (1-8004A42-6537). Deaf, hearing impaired, or speech impaired persons with telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDD/TTY) may contact Oldsmobile Customer Assistance at 1-800-TDD-OLDS (1 -800-833-6537). They will assist you and the retailer in getting your vehicle corrected.

After contacting your retailer and Oldsmobile Customer Assistance, if you are still not satisfied that we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge and within a reasonable time, you may write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590 or call 800-424-9393 (Washington, D.C. residents call 366-0123).

OWNER REPLY CARD: The enclosed owner reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your retailer will assist in making the necessary correction in the shortest possible time. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please let us know by completing the postage paid reply card and returning it to us.

Again, we are sorry to cause you this inconvenience; however, we have taken this action for your safety and continued satisfaction with our products.

OLDSMOBILE DIVISION General Motors Corporation

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.