Product Safety - Second Row Center Safety Belt

General Motors has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2005 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado Crew Cab, Suburban, Tahoe; GMC Sierra Crew Cab, Yukon, Yukon XL; and 2004-2005 HUMMER H2 vehicles. On these vehicles, the seat loop in the second row center seating position may make it difficult to position the lap portion of the safety belt low around the hips of the occupant. In the event of a vehicle accident, if the lap portion of the safety belt routing is not low and snug on the hips, it may not properly restrain the occupant and could increase the risk of abdominal injury.

Dealers are to eliminate the seat loop by removing the safety belt from the loop and stitching the loop closed.

Involved are certain 2003-2005 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado Crew Cab, Suburban, Tahoe; GMC Sierra Crew Cab, Yukon, Yukon XL; and 2004-2005 HUMMER H2 vehicles built within these VIN breakpoints:

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

For US and Canada

For dealers with involved vehicles, a Campaign Initiation Detail Report containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data has been prepared and will be loaded to the GM DealerWorld (US) Recall Information, GMinfoNet (Canada) Recall Reports. Dealers will not have a report available if they have no involved vehicles currently assigned.

For Export

For dealers with involved vehicles, a Campaign Initiation Detail Report containing the complete Vehicle Identification Number, customer name and address data has been prepared, and is being furnished to involved dealers. Dealers will not receive a report with the recall bulletin if they have no involved vehicles currently assigned.

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

Parts required for this recall are to be obtained locally.

1. Note the position of the rear seats.
2. Position the seats to gain access to the lower seat belt anchor stud for the rear center seat.
3. Remove any cover necessary to gain access to the lower seat belt anchor point for the rear center seat.



4. Remove the nut (1) retaining the rear center seat’s lower seat belt anchor (seat back shown in the up position).
5. Remove the belt anchor point from the stud.
6. Remove the belt from the seat loop on the front of the seat back cushion.
7. Route the belt outside of the seat loop and install it on the lower anchor stud. Be sure that the belt is not twisted.
8. Install the retaining nut to the anchor stud.

Tighten
Tighten the retaining nut to 53 N·m (39 lb ft).




9. Using an appropriate color of locally obtained upholstery thread and needle (size 16 recommended), sew the retaining loop closed in the center.

•	Use a minimum of four complete loops of thread.

•	Use the existing upper stitching holes as guides.

•	Knot the thread and cut off any excess thread.

10. Reposition the seats to the customer’s original position as noted in Step 1.

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.

Submit a Product Recall Claim with the information indicated below:

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

General Motors will notify customers of this recall on their vehicle (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin).

Letters will be sent to known owners of record located within areas covered by the US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. For owners outside these areas, dealers should notify customers using the attached sample letter.

The US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides that each vehicle which 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.

All unsold new vehicles in dealers' 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.

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. A copy of the customer letter is provided in this bulletin for your use in contacting customers. 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, please take the steps necessary to be sure the recall correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.

Dear General Motors 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 a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2005 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado Crew Cab, Suburban, Tahoe; GMC Sierra Crew Cab, Yukon, Yukon XL; and 2004-2005 HUMMER H2 vehicles. On these vehicles, the seat loop in the second row center seating position may make it difficult to position the lap portion of the safety belt low around the hips of the occupant. In the event of a vehicle accident, if the lap portion of the safety belt routing is not low and snug on the hips, it may not properly restrain the occupant and could increase the risk of abdominal injury.

Your GM dealer will eliminate the seat loop by removing the safety belt from the loop and stitching the loop closed. This service will be performed for you at no charge .

This service will take approximately 15 minutes. However, due to service scheduling requirements, your dealer may need your vehicle for a longer period of time.

To limit any possible inconvenience, we recommend that you contact your GM dealer as soon as possible to schedule an appointment for this repair. Should your dealer be unable to schedule a service date within a reasonable time, you should contact the appropriate Customer Assistance Center at the listed number below. The Customer Assistance Center’s hours of operation are from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM, EST, Monday through Friday.

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 1-888-327-4236.

The enclosed customer reply form identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this form 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 form and mailing it back to us.

If your vehicle is within the New Vehicle Limited Warranty your dealer may provide you with shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation while your vehicle is at the dealership for this repair. Please refer to your Owner’s Manual and your dealer for details on Courtesy Transportation.

This free online service offers vehicle and ownership related information and tools tailored to your specific vehicle. To get the most personalized information for your vehicle, visit www.mygmlink.com , and enter your vehicle's 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN) shown on the enclosed customer reply form.

Federal regulation requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days.

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.

General Motors Corporation

Enclosure

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