FMVSS Non-Compliance 00052 - OnBoard Entertainment Center Installation

COMPLETION OF THIS CAMPAIGN LIFTS THE STOP DELIVERY ORDER ISSUED ON MAY 24, 2000 VIA DCS MESSAGE WIA0000055.

General Motors has decided that certain 1999-2000 Cadillac Escalade model vehicles equipped with an OnBoard Entertainment Center installed on the left-hand side (driver side) fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 301, "Fuel System Integrity." On some of these vehicles, the video cassette player mounting screws extend below the floor pan. In a vehicle crash, a screw may penetrate the fuel tank and a fuel leak could occur. Additionally, a mounting screw could contact the fuel return line and eventually cause a wear-through condition, resulting in a fuel leak. In either case, if an ignition source were present, a vehicle fire could result.

Dealers are to inspect the installation on the OnBoard Entertainment Center. If the entertainment center is installed on the right-hand side (passenger side), no correction is required. If the entertainment center is installed on the left-hand side (driver side), dealers are to remove and reinstall the entertainment center with a revised attachment bracket, and inspect the fuel return line, and replace the line if necessary.

Involved are certain 1999-2000 Cadillac Escalades equipped with an OnBoard Entertainment Center and built within these VIN breakpoints:

Important: Dealers should confirm vehicle eligibility through GMVIS (GM Vehicle Inquiry System) before beginning campaign repairs. [Not all vehicles within the above breakpoints may be involved.]

Involved vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number and will be available in GMVIS beginning June 20, 2000. Confirm vehicle eligibility through GMVIS prior to beginning campaign repairs. Computer listings containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data have been prepared, and are being furnished to involved dealers with the campaign bulletin. The customer name and address data furnished will enable dealers to follow-up with customers involved in this campaign. Any dealer not receiving a computer listing with the campaign bulletin has no involved vehicles currently assigned.

These dealer listings may contain customer names and addresses obtained from Motor Vehicle Registration Records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any other purpose is a violation of law in several states/provinces/countries. Accordingly, you are urged to limit the use of this listing to the follow-up necessary to complete this campaign.

Important: Parts required to perform this campaign are to be obtained from two different sources.

THE PART IN THE TABLE BELOW IS 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.

Important: It is estimated that only a small number of involved vehicles will require replacement of the fuel return pipe. Please order parts accordingly.

THE PARTS IN THE TABLE BELOW ARE TO BE OBTAINED FROM ROSEN PRODUCTS. DO NOT ORDER THESE PARTS FROM GMSPO.

Important: An initial supply of VCP Repair Kits required to complete this campaign will be pre-shipped to involved dealers of record. This pre-shipment is scheduled to begin the week of June 19, 2000. Kits are labeled with a sticker stating "Attn: Parts Manager, Campaign #00052, VCP Repair Kit." Parts received for a recently transferred vehicle should be forwarded by the original dealer (with a phone call) to the dealer that received the transferred vehicle. Kits will be furnished at no-charge.

1. Inspect for the location of the OnBoard Entertainment Center.

•	If it is installed on the right-hand side (passenger side), no further action is required. Install the GM Campaign Identification Label.

•	If it is installed on the left-hand side (driver side), proceed to Step 2.

Important: To determine the correct Video Cassette Player (VCP) Repair Kit to use, visually inspect the cables on the TUNER.

•	If there are pieces of yellow and blue electrical tape on the TUNER cables, use kit P/N 0534-9500-01-VSX.

•	If there is no electrical tape on the TUNER cables, use kit P/N 0534-9501-01.

2. Disconnect the battery.

Important: The VCP retaining bracket may be located on either the inboard or outboard side of the VCP.

3. Loosen the two nuts on the VCP retaining bracket (6).

Important: Do not remove any electrical connections from the tuner.

4. Disconnect the power and signal cables from the back of the VCP (4) and remove.

Important: The number and type of fasteners used to secure the VCP mounting bracket and the tuner may differ from one vehicle to another.

5. Remove the screws retaining the VCP mounting bracket (3) and the tuner (1) to the vehicle floor pan.
6. Remove the VCP mounting bracket (6). Lower the driver's side rear seat back slightly and, taking care not to damage or disconnect any electrical connections, place the tuner behind the driver's side rear seat back.

Figure 1

Place a Campaign Identification Label on each vehicle in accordance with the instructions outlined in this Product Campaign Bulletin. Each label provides a space to include the campaign number and the five (5) digit dealer code of the dealer performing the campaign service. This information may be inserted with a typewriter or a ball point pen.

Put the Campaign 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 Campaign Identification Label, be sure to pull the tab to allow the adhesion of the clear protective covering. Additional Campaign Identification Labels for US dealers can be obtained from Dealer Support Materials by calling 1-888-549-6152 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST). Ask for Item Number S-1015 when ordering.

Submit a Product Campaign Claim with the information indicated below:

Refer to the General Motors WINS Claim Processing Manual for details on Product Campaign Claim Submission.

Customers will be notified of this campaign on their vehicles by General Motors (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin).

The US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides that each vehicle that is subject to a recall campaign 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 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 campaign notification letters, customers are told how to contact the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if the campaign is not completed within a reasonable time.

This bulletin is notice to you that the new motor vehicles included in this campaign may not comply with the standard identified above. Under Title 41, 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 campaign correction, your dealership may be subject to a civil penalty for each such sale.

All unsold new vehicles in dealers' possession and subject to this campaign MUST be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this campaign bulletin BEFORE customers take possession of these vehicles.

Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this campaign 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. Campaign 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 campaign enters your vehicle inventory, or is in your dealership 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.

Dear Cadillac Customer:

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

General Motors has decided that certain 1999-2000 Cadillac Escalade model vehicles equipped with an OnBoard Entertainment Center installed on the left-hand side (driver side) fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 301, "Fuel System Integrity." On some of these vehicles, the video cassette player mounting screws extend below the floor pan. In a vehicle crash, a screw may penetrate the fuel tank and a fuel leak could occur. Additionally, a mounting screw could contact the fuel return line and eventually cause a wear-through condition, resulting in a fuel leak. In either case, if an ignition source were present, a vehicle fire could result.

If the entertainment center is installed on the right-hand side (passenger side), no correction is required. Please return the attached card indicating that you have completed the campaign by yourself. If the entertainment center is installed on the left-hand side (driver side), your Cadillac dealer will remove and reinstall the entertainment center with a revised attachment bracket. Your dealer will also inspect, and if necessary, replace the fuel return line. This service will be performed for you at no charge .

The length of time required to reinstall your rear entertainment center with the revised attachment bracket is approximately 40 minutes, and if required, another 30 minutes to replace the fuel return line. Additional time may be required to schedule and process your vehicle. If you dealer has a large number of vehicles awaiting service, this additional time may be significant. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed schedule, process, and repair your vehicle.

Please contact your Cadillac dealer as soon as possible to arrange a service date. Parts are available and instructions for making this correction have been sent to your dealer.

Your Cadillac dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide services to correct your vehicle as promptly as possible. Should your dealer be unable to schedule a service date within a reasonable time, you should contact the appropriate Customer Assistance/Relations Center at the number listed below:

If, after contacting the appropriate customer assistance center, you are still not satisfied that we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge and within a reasonable time, you may wish to write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 20590 or call 1-800-424-9393 (Washington, DC residents use 202-366-0123).

The attached customer reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your dealer will assist in making the necessary correction in the shortest possible time. If you no longer own this vehicle, please let us know by completing the attached and mailing it in the postage paid envelope.

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.

Cadillac Motor Car Division

General Motors Corporation

Enclosure