CAMPAIGN: INOPERATIVE BUCKET SEAT BACK LOCKS

CONDITION INVOLVED GENERAL MOTORS HAS DETERMINED THAT SOME 1984 "A,E,F,G,J,T, AND X" TWO DOOR CARS, AND CERTAIN S/T TRUCKS HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH BUCKET SEAT BACK LOCKS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 207 "ANCHORAGE OF SEATS". IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE SEAT BACK INERTIA LOCK MAY NOT FUNCTION. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE SEAT BACK TO FOLD FORWARD, WHICH COULD INCREASE LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT. DEALER ACTION DEALERS ARE TO INSPECT THE BUCKET SEAT BACK LOCKS ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES. LOCKS WHICH HAVE BENT, BROKEN OR MISSING HOOKS ARE TO BE REPLACED PER THE SERVICE PROCEDURE IN THIS BULLETIN. APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE LOCKS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLES INVOLVED THE INVOLVED VEHICLES ARE 1984 "A,E,F,G,J, T AND X" CARS, AND S/T TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH BUCKET SEATS (RPO AR9 OR AV5) WITHIN THE FOLLOWING ASSEMBLY PLANT AND VEHICLE BREAKPOINTS: (NOT PROVIDED). PARTS INFORMATION PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 27, 1984. THE PARTS, WHEN REQUIRED, ARE TO BE OBTAINED FROM WDDGM. REFER TO THE CHART BELOW TO OBTAIN THE CORRECT SEAT BACK LOCK: MODEL DESCRIPTION PART NUMBER S-TRUCK CONTROL ASM-PASS. NON-RECLINER 20410901 " CONTROL ASM-DRIVER NON-RECLINER 20238207 S-TRUCK CONTROL ASM-PASS. RECLINER 20408675 " CONTROL ASM-DRIVER RECLINER 20329439 A,G,F,X,E,J CONTROL ASM-PASS. RECLINER 20329438 " CONTROL ASM-DRIVER RECLINER 20329439 J CONTROL ASM-PASS. E-Z ENTRY 20383819 T CONTROL ASM-PASSENGER SIDE 20456714 T CONTROL ASM-DRIVER SIDE 20456715 APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE SEAT BACK LOCKS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. TO AVOID STOCK OVERAGES, DO NOT OVER ORDER YOUR REQUIREMENTS. CHECK YOUR VIN COMPUTER LIST TO SEE HOW MANY INVOLVED VEHICLES CAME THROUGH YOUR DEALERSHIP. ORDER PARTS FOR ABOUT 10% OF THESE VEHICLES. IF NECESSARY, ORDER MORE PARTS LATER ON. TO ENSURE THIS PART WILL BE OBTAINED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, IT SHOULD BE ORDERED ON A C.I.O. ORDER WITH NO SPECIAL INSTRUCTION CODE, BUT ORDER ON AN ADVISE CODE (2). PARTS REMOVED FROM THE INVOLVED VEHICLES ARE TO BE RETAINED BY THE DEALER IN ACCORDANCE WITH CURRENT SERVICE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL. SERVICE PROCEDURE THE BUCKET SEAT BACK LOCKS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY NOT LOCK UNDER FORWARD LOAD CONDITIONS. FAILURE TO LOCK IS CONFINED TO BUCKET SEATS AND ONE SUPPLIER. THESE LOCKS MAY BE USED ON EITHER THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER SEAT, OR BOTH SIDES. ALL LOCKS ON THESE STYLES MUST BE CHECKED AS SPECIFIED BELOW. SINCE THE DRIVER SEAT COULD HAVE A DIFFERENT LOCK THAN THE PASSENGER SEAT, BOTH LOCKS MUST BE INSPECTED. 1. PUT RECLINING SEAT BACK IN FULL UPRIGHT POSITION AND KEEP IT THERE DURING THIS SERVICE PROCEDURE. CAUTION: TO HELP AVOID PERSONAL INJURY, INSPECT RECLINING SEAT MODELS ONLY WITH THE SEAT BACK IN THE FULL UPRIGHT POSITION. THE LOCK IS SPRING LOADED. IF THE SEAT BACK IS FOLDED FORWARD FROM A RECLINING POSITION, AND THE RECLINER LEVER IS RELEASED, THE LOCK CAM COULD SLAM CLOSED ON EXPOSED FINGERS OR HANDS IN THE CAM HOOK AREA. (SEE FIGURE 5). 2. FOLD SEAT BACK FORWARD. IF THE LOCK HAS A PROTRUDING CAM AS SHOWN IN VIEW "A", FIGURE 1, IT IS NOT A SUSPECT UNIT AND NO FURTHER CHECKING IS REQUIRED. 3. IF THE LOCK HAS A NON-PROTRUDING CAM AS SHOWN IN VIEW "A" FIGURE 2, IT IS A SUSPECT UNIT AND MUST BE FULLY CHECKED AS FOLLOWS: "T" CARS AND S/T TRUCKS ARE 100% EQUIPPED WITH LOCKS WHICH MUST BE INSPECTED PER THESE INSTRUCTIONS. VIEW "A" - FIGURE 2 (A) SIT IN THE SEAT (B) PULL SEAT BACK SLIGHTLY FORWARD (C) LIFT THE SEAT BACK LOCK EMERGENCY RELEASE LEVER KNOB AND HOLD FIRMLY IN "UP" POSITION AS SHOWN IN FIGURE 3. (D) WHILE HOLDING THE LEVER IN THE "UP" POSITION, LEAN BACK FIRMLY IN THE SEAT AS IF TO STRAIGHTEN A LONG COAT. LEAN BACK HARD ENOUGH TO LIFT YOURSELF OFF THE SEAT CUSHION AS SHOWN IN FIGURE 4. (E) GET OUT OF THE CAR. (F) FOLD THE SEAT BACK FORWARD. (G) CHECK FOR A BROKEN OR MISSING HOOK AS SHOWN IN VIEW "A", FIGURE 5. (H) IF THE HOOK IS NOT BROKEN OR MISSING, CHECK FOR A BENT HOOK AS SHOWN IN FIGURES 6 AND 7 USING THE PROPER CHECKING TEMPLATE. IF LOCK COVER INTERFERES WITH CHECKING TEMPLATE, LOOSEN OR REMOVE COVER, AS NEEDED. (I) IF THE HOOK IS MISSING, BROKEN OR BENT, REPLACE THE LOCK ASSEMBLY FOLLOWING PROCEDURES IN THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE MANUAL. TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS 1. SEAT BACK LOCK UPPER TWO ATTACHING BOLTS - 15 TO 20 N.M (11 TO 15 FT. LB.) 2. SEAT BACK LOCK LOWER TWO ATTACHING BOLTS - 22 TO 28 N.M. (16 TO 21 FT. LB.) SPECIAL TOOLS THE CHECKING TEMPLATES REQUIRED FOR THIS CAMPAIGN ARE SPECIAL TOOLS WHICH ARE AVAILABLE IN LIMITED QUANTITIES. DEALERS WILL RECEIVE TEMPLATES FROM THEIR BUSINESS MANAGEMENT CONTACT DIVISION. DEALERS SHOULD CONTACT THEIR ZONE OFFICES REGARDING AVAILABILITY OF ADDITIONAL TEMPLATES, IF REQUIRED.

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.