Recall - Side Impact Protection Non-Compliance: Overview
File In Section: Product Recalls.Bulletin No.: 03004
Date: February 2003
FMVSS NONCOMPLIANCE RECALL
SUBJECT:
03004 - LEFT REAR DOOR UPPER HINGE WELD
MODELS:
2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE, SUBURBAN
2003 GMC YUKON
2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE
BUILT AT ARLINGTON ASSEMBLY PLANT
CONDITION
General Motors has decided that certain 2003 model year Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban; GMC Yukon; and Cadillac Escalade vehicles built at Arlington Assembly Plant fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 214, "Side Impact Protection." These vehicles are built with four welds on the rear door upper hinge. On some of these vehicles, one or two of the welds may not be to specification. As a result, the door strength may be degraded during a side impact vehicle crash.
CORRECTION
Dealers are to inspect the welds on the left rear door upper hinge. If a weld is found out-of-specification, a bolt will be installed to secure the hinge.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are the 2003 model year Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade vehicles built at Arlington Assembly Plant and listed.
IMPORTANT:
Dealers should confirm vehicle eligibility through GMVIS (GM Vehicle Inquiry System) before beginning recall repairs.
PARTS INFORMATION
Parts required to complete this recall are to be obtained from General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO). Please refer to your "involved vehicles listing" before ordering parts. Normal orders should be placed on a DRO = Daily Replenishment Order. In an emergency situation, parts should be ordered on a CSO = Customer Special Order.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
The following service procedure is for inspecting the welds that attach the left rear side door upper hinge (1) to the body "B" pillar sheet metal. If you find that the two rear welds are missing from the upper hinge, or smaller than the others, perform the repair procedure included.
1. Open both left side doors.
2. Using a flat-bladed tool, remove both door opening sill plates by prying upward to release the retainers.
3. Move the driver's seat and seatback to the full forward position.
4. Using a flat-bladed tool, remove the center ("B") pillar garnish molding and reposition insulation.
5. From inside the vehicle, look through the opening in the center pillar sheet metal directly behind the upper hinge.
^ If there are four welds (1) present and ALL four are approximately the same size, NO repair is required. Proceed to step 14 to reassemble the vehicle.
^ If ONE of the REAR welds is missing, or is a lot smaller in size than the others, NO repair is required. Proceed to step 14 to reassemble the vehicle.
^ If TWO of the REAR welds are missing, or if the two rear welds are a lot smaller than the front welds, then a repair is required.
Important
The next steps should only be performed if the two rear welds are BOTH missing or are a lot smaller in size than the others. Also, you only have to repair one of the two rear welds.
6. Place shop towels on the floor at the base of the center pillar to catch the metal shavings when drilling in the next step.
7. From inside the vehicle, center punch and drill a 1/8 inch pilot hole through the body sheet metal where one of the missing welds should be. If the welds are present, but just smaller in size, drill the hole directly through the center of one of the small welds. Continue drilling all the way through the hinge plate on the other side.
8. Using a 15/32 inch drill bit, increase the size of the hole to allow for the installation of the repair stud (bolt).
9. Remove any metal burrs or debris from the drilled hole. Touch-up the drilled hole as necessary using the information found in the applicable Service Manual and GM Refinish Material Booklet # 4901M-D-2003 (English) or # 4901M-D-F2003 (French)
10. From outside of the vehicle, install the bolt (1) into the drilled hole in the upper hinge (2).
Important
When tightening the nut in the next step, the serration on the shoulder of the bolt will begin to pull into the hinge plate. Until the serrations begin to pull in, it may be necessary to hold the bolt with the appropriate tool.
11. From inside the vehicle, install the nut on the bolt and tighten to 25 Nm (18 lb ft).
12. Verify that the head of the bolt is fully seated to the hinge plate.
13. Apply body color touch-up paint as necessary to the head of the bolt
14. Remove the shop towels and clean up any metal shavings.
15. Position the center pillar garnish molding to the pillar and press into place to attach the retainers.
16. Install both door opening sill plates.
17. Install the GM Recall Identification Label.
RECALL IDENTIFICATION LABEL
Place a Recall Identification Label on each vehicle corrected in accordance with the instructions outlined in this Product Recall Bulletin. Each label provides a space to include the recall number and the five (5) digit dealer code of the dealer performing the recall service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or a ball point pen.
Put the Recall Identification Label on a clean and dry surface of the radiator core support in an area that will be visible to people servicing the vehicle. When installing the Recall Identification Label, be sure to pull the tab to allow adhesion of the clear protective covering. Additional Recall Identification Labels can be obtained from Dealer Support Materials by either ordering on the web from DWD Store, gm-dealerworld.com, or calling 1-866-700-0001 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST). Request Item Number 5-1015 when ordering.
COURTESY TRANSPORTATION
The General Motors Courtesy Transportation program is intended to minimize customer inconvenience when a vehicle requires a repair that is covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. The availability of courtesy transportation to customers whose vehicles are within the warranty coverage period and involved in a product recall is very important in maintaining customer satisfaction. Dealers are to ensure that these customers understand that shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation is available and will be provided at no charge. Dealers should refer to the General Motors Service Policies and Procedures Manual for Courtesy Transportation guidelines.
CLAIM INFORMATION
Refer to the General Motors WINS Claims Processing Manual for details on Product Recall Claim Submission.
CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION
Customers will be notified of this recall on their vehicles by General Motors (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin)
DEALER RECALL RESPONSIBILITY
The US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides that each service that is subject to a recall of this type must be adequately repaired within a reasonable time after the customer has tendered it for repair. A failure to repair within sixty 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 customer 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 letters, customers are told how to contact the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if the recall is not completed within a reasonable time.
This bulletin is notice to you that the new motor vehicles included in this recall may not comply with the standard identified above. Under Title 49, Section 30112 of the United States Code, it is illegal for a dealer to sell a new motor vehicle which the dealer knows does not comply with an applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. As a consequence, if you sell any of these motor vehicles without first performing the recall correction, your dealership may be subject to a civil penalty for each such sale.
All unsold new vehicles in dealers' possession and subject to his recall must be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this recall bulletin before customers take possession of these vehicles.
Dealers 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.
Customers who have recently purchased vehicles sold from your vehicle inventory, and for which there is no customer information indicated on the dealer listing, are to be contacted by the dealer. Arrangements are to be made to make the required correction according to the instructions contained in this bulletin. This could be done by mailing to such customers, a copy of the customer letter accompanying this bulletin. Recall follow-up cards should not be used for this purpose, since the customer may not as yet have received the notification letter.
In summary, whenever a vehicle subject to this recall enters your vehicle inventory, or is in your dealership for service in the future, you must take the steps necessary to be sure the recall correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.
Disclaimer