Product Safety - Discrepant Welds on Right Front Motor Rail

The US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides that each vehicle that is subject to a recall 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 remedies, every effort must be made to promptly schedule an appointment with each customer and to repair their vehicle as soon as possible. In the recall notification letter, customers are told how to contact the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if the recall is not completed within a reasonable time.

Saturn has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2004 Model Year ION sedan and coupe vehicles. These vehicles may have been built with some welds between the passenger's side motor rail and the front bumper bracket that do not meet engineering specifications. Long term durability of the joint may be reduced and separation of the bumper from the frame on the passenger's side of the vehicle may result.

Retailers will inspect the Julian date code on the right front motor rail to determine if a repair is necessary.

A complete vehicle identification number (VIN) list for vehicles involved in this recall is provided on page 7.

You must verify recall involvement through your AS400 system. It is important to note that recall claims will only be paid on involved vehicles.

Owners of all involved vehicles located within areas covered by the US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act will be notified of this recall by Saturn.

All unsold new vehicles in Retailers' possession and subject to this recall must be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this recall bulletin before customers take possession of these vehicles.

Retailers are to service all vehicles subject to this recall at no charge to customers, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward. Owners who have recently purchased vehicles sold from your vehicle inventory are to be contacted by the retailer and arrangements are to be made to make the required correction according to the procedure contained in this bulletin.

1. Identify suspect vehicles by comparing the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the vehicle to VIN list provided.

•	If vehicle VIN is included in list, go to step 2.

•	If vehicle VIN is not listed, no further action is required.

2. Raise vehicle on hoist.




Important: Inspect the right side (passenger side) motor rail only. The motor rail is the outer rail that runs from the engine compartment and terminates mid-vehicle near the B-pillar.

3. Locate the right side rear of the motor rail (located below B-pillar area).




Important: The rear-most end of the motor rail will be stamped with a series of alpha numeric characters on the top row, which defines the part serial number. The serial numbers to be inspected will end in the letters "N" or "S" (the "N" or "S" denotes the line the motor rail was built on). Suspect vehicles will have the designation of "S." The third row of numeric characters define the Julian date code.




4. Locate and record the serial number stamped on the rear-most end of the motor rail. (Record serial number on the CSO.)

•	If the serial number in the top row of alpha numeric characters end in the letter "N," no further action is required. Place Recall Identification Label on radiator support and process claim with labor operation number V1093 .

•	If the serial number in the top row of alpha and numeric characters ends in the letter "S," it will be necessary to compare the Julian date code on line 3 of the stamped information on the motor rail and compare with the information below.

•	Record the Julian date code number on the CSO.

-	If the first three digits of the Julian date code are less than 337 or greater than 343, no further action is required. Place a Recall Identification Label on radiator support and process claim with labor operation number V1093 .

-	If the first three digits of the Julian date code are 342, inspect the first four digits of the serial number.

-	* If the first four digits of the serial number are 0301 or greater, no further action is required. Place a Recall Identification Label on radiator support and process claim with labor operation number V1093 .

-

-OR-

-	* If the first four digits of the serial number are 0300 or less, the vehicle must be held for return shipment to Saturn Corporation. Process claim with labor operation V1094 . (Refer to Vehicle Return Process in this bulletin.)

-	If the first three digits of the Julian date code on line 3 are 337, 338, 339, 340 or 341, the vehicle must be held for return shipment to Saturn Corporation. Process claim with labor operation V1094 . (Refer to Vehicle Return Process in this bulletin.)

Upon completion of the recall, a Recall Identification Label and Clear Protective Cover should be affixed on a clean, dry surface of the radiator core support in an area clearly visible when the hood is raised. Each label provides a space to print in ink (or type) the recall number (03067 ) and the five (5) digit facility code of the retailer performing the recall service.

As a reminder, additional labels may be ordered from Saturn publications (1-800-828-2112, prompt 3, Item Number S03 00013A for the Recall Identification Label, and item number S03 00013B for the Clear Protective Cover).

1. To receive credit, submit a claim with the information below:

2. Check your Saturn SERVICELINE.XL Claim Memorandum daily. Remember to code the claim as a WC sale type, and VC case type. Contact your field representative if you need assistance.

3. All labor operations claimed in this bulletin must be submitted on individual (unrelated) CSO lines. Refer to the Customer Service Order Preparation Manual for details on Product Recall Claim Submission.

* Recall administration allowance

Important: Please inspect all vehicles in your inventory per the included VIN list prior to contacting the Retail Support Team. This will assist in ensuring that Saturn is able to efficiently expedite the logistical process to return the vehicles to Spring Hill for repair.

1. After following the inspection process and determining that the vehicle meets the criteria for return, the following information will be needed when contacting the Retail Support Team to facilitate the return:

•	Retailer code

•	Retailer name

•	Vehicle Identification Number

•	Frame rail serial number (per inspection procedure)

•	Frame rail Julian date code (per inspection procedure)

2. Contact the Retail Support Team at 1-800-828-2112, prompt 8, prompt 2 to provide the information gathered above.