Product Safety - Body Wiring Harness Chafing

General Motors has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2005 Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC TopKick vehicles equipped with air bags (RPO AJ3 or AK5). On some of these vehicles, the wiring harness that is routed under the floor mat in the driver’s foot area may become damaged with repeated entering and exiting of the vehicle. If damage were to occur to the harness, the roof marker lights and dome lamp may become inoperative, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and there may be a driver or passenger unwanted airbag deployment while the vehicle is stationary or moving. An occupant that is too close to an inflating airbag could be seriously injured.

Dealers are to install a protective sleeve around the harness and repair any damage to the harness.

Involved are certain 2003-2005 Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC TopKick vehicles equipped with air bags (RPO AJ3 or AK5) 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 that have no involved vehicles currently assigned will not receive a report with the recall bulletin.

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 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.

1. Open the hood and disconnect the negative battery cable.



2. Gently pull the left hinge pillar trim panel in order to release the retaining clips.
3. Remove the left hinge pillar trim from the vehicle.
4. Inspect the hinge pillar trim panel for proper placement of the retaining clips.



5. Firmly grasp the door sill plate.
6. Gently pull upwards to release the retaining clips.
7. Inspect for any missing or broken clips and replace as necessary.
8. Fold back the floor mat and tuck it under the brake pedal.




Important: Although the illustration shows the seat removed, there is no need to remove the seat to complete this repair.

9. Inspect the wire harness (4) from the connector to the plastic channel for signs of cuts or abrasions. Pay particular attention to the area that crosses the floor pan seam.
10. Repair any wires as necessary using approved wiring repair methods.
11. Get approximately 18 inches (45 cm) of ½" (12.7 mm) wire conduit.
12. Install the conduit over the exposed portion of the wires (4).
13. Open the plastic conduit channel.
14. Be sure that the conduit enters the plastic channel approximately 1 inch (25-30 mm).
15. Wrap the harness with electrical tape beginning just rearward of the conduit and continuing onto the conduit for approximately 1 inch (25 mm). This will keep the conduit from sliding on the wiring.
16. Close the plastic channel and be sure that it latches.
17. Wrap the conduit with electrical tape at the forward end. Do not extend the tape onto the wire harness, this will allow for slight movement.
18. Unfold the floor mat and smooth it into position.
19. Align all of the door sill plate retainer clips with the body openings.
20. Gently press downward to seat the retainer clips.
21. Install the hinge pillar trim panel to the vehicle.
22. Align the locator pins. Press on the hinge pillar trim panel in order to engage the retaining clips.
23. Connect the negative battery cable and close the hood

All customer requests for reimbursement for previous repairs for the recall condition will be handled by the Customer Assistance Center, not by dealers.

A General Motors Product Recall Customer Reimbursement Procedure Form is included with the customer letter.

Important: Refer to the GM Service Policies and Procedures Manual, section 6.1.12, for specific procedures regarding customer reimbursement and the form.

Customer requests for reimbursement of previously paid repairs to correct the condition described in this bulletin are to be submitted by May 31, 2006.

All reasonable customer paid receipts should be considered for reimbursement. The amount to be reimbursed will be limited to the amount the repair would have cost if completed by an authorized General Motors dealer.

When a customer requests reimbursement, they must provide the following:

Claims for customer reimbursement on previously paid repairs are to be submitted as required by WINS.

Important: Refer to the GM Service Policies and Procedures Manual, section 1.6.2, for specific procedures regarding customer reimbursement verification.

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 model year Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC TopKick vehicles equipped with air bags. On some of these vehicles, the wiring harness that is routed under the floor mat in the driver’s foot area may become damaged with repeated entering and exiting of the vehicle. If damage were to occur to the harness, the roof marker lights and dome lamp may become inoperative, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and there may be a driver or passenger unwanted airbag deployment while the vehicle is stationary or moving. An occupant that is too close to an inflating airbag could be seriously injured.

Your GM dealer will install a protective sleeve around the harness and repair any damage to the harness. This service will be performed for you at no charge .

This service correction will take approximately 20-40 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 dealer as soon as possible to schedule an appointment for this repair. By scheduling an appointment, your dealer can ensure that the necessary parts will be available on your scheduled appointment date. 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.

The enclosed form explains what reimbursement is available and how to request reimbursement if you have paid for repairs for the recall condition.

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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