Product Safety - Replacement of Front Seatback Recliners. Saturn Saturn 1994

For 1990-2009 cars

# Product Safety - Replacement of Front Seatback Recliners

Subject: | REPLACEMENT OF FRONT SEATBACK RECLINERS

Models: | 1994 and 1995 SATURN VEHICLES (COUPE MODELS)

Attention: | ALL SATURN RETAILERS AND AUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERS

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.

### Defect Involved

Saturn has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1994 and 1995 model year Saturn coupe vehicles. Some front seatback recliners were made with a part that failed to meet Saturn's stringent quality standards. The recliner gear teeth may wear excessively through repeated use, and may cause the seatback to slip partially rearward when force is applied. If left unrepaired, the wear will continue and may result in the seatback fully reclining when force is applied. If this happens while the vehicle is being driven, it could cause a loss of control and a crash. To correct this condition, Saturn will replace both the driver and front passenger seatback mechanisms.

### Vehicles Involved

All 1994 and 1995 Saturn coupe vehicles within the following VIN range will require this recall:

RZ100001 - RZ244005

SZ125163 - SZ321118

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

### Owner Notification

Owners of all involved vehicles will be notified of this recall by Saturn at a later date. (Refer to the owner letter included in this bulletin.)

### Facility VIN Listing

A list of vehicles assigned to you (Facility VIN Listing), which our records indicate were sold by or shipped to you, (or are located in close proximity to your facility) will be provided to you when it is available. The listing will contain:

• | Complete vehicle identification number (VIN); and

• | VINs of vehicles, which according to Saturn records are in retail stock.

Those Retailers not involved initially in this recall will receive a message at the top of a blank Facility VIN Listing that states: NO VEHICLES ASSIGNED AT THIS TIME FOR RECALL 03-C-04.

### Retailer Responsibility

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

Retailers are to service all vehicles subject to this recall at no charge to owners, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward.

Owners who have recently purchased vehicles sold from your vehicle inventory, and for which there is no customer information indicated on the retailer listing, are to be contacted by the retailer. Arrangements are to be made to make the required correction according to the procedure 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 have received the notification letter.

In summary, whenever a vehicle subject to this recall enters your vehicle inventory, or is in your retail facility 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.

### Transfer of Recall Responsibility

Saturn vehicles that have been sold by you, which may be closer in proximity to another Saturn Retailer, may still appear on your Facility VIN Listing. If either you or the vehicle owner determines that it is more desirable for a vehicle on your Facility VIN Listing to be serviced by another Saturn Retailer, or if the customer's address has recently changed, recall responsibility may be transferred by completing the following:

• | Submit a Campaign Vehicle Action Report to your Customer Assistance Manager (CAM) at the Saturn Customer Assistance Center.

| -OR-

• | Submit an update in owner information to the Saturn Owner of Record system, via SERVICELINE XL, for Saturn Customer Assistance Center review and approval.

A copy of the Campaign Vehicle Action Report is included for your reference. Additional copies can be ordered from Saturn Publications (1-800-828-2112, prompt 3, Item # S0397050). All changes to recall responsibility will be reflected in your next Unfixed VIN Report.

All other changes in vehicle status (e.g., scrapped, stolen, etc.) are to be made in accordance with section 4.4.3 of the Retailer Service Reference Guide, "Notifying Saturn of Vehicle Status Change."

### Parts Information

1. A pre-shipment of coupe seatback recliner assemblies and Loctite 242® Threadlocker required to perform this recall will be automatically sent to you from Saturn Service Parts Operations (SSPO) prior to the mailing of recall owner letters . These initial shipments are to aid Retailers in recall preparation and ensure minimal customer inconvenience. In addition, stocking policy recommendations will be sent to aid in the completion of this recall. Please approve your recommended stocking policies. Further shipments will automatically be sent after your initial shipment based on stocking policies.
2. Should you require any additional parts, please contact your Parts Support Analyst (PSA) and we will expedite the shipment. With the exception of the Loctite 242® Threadlocker (P/N 21485277), please do not enter any orders for any parts numbers listed without contacting your PSA.

Part Number | Description | Qty Required per Vehicle
--- | --- | ---
21051310 | Recliner Asm-P/Seat (Inner) | 1
21051312 | Recliner Asm-P/Seat (Outer) | 1
21051313 | Recliner Asm-D/Seat (Outer) | 1
21051315 | Recliner Asm-D/Seat (Inner) | 1
21485277 | Threadlocker- Loctite 242® |

### Disposition of Replaced Parts

Retailers will scrap all replaced parts in a manner that ensures that they cannot be reused, remanufactured, or otherwise entered into the stream of commerce in the future.

### Suggestions for Ensuring Customer Satisfaction

As you know, Saturn's success hinges upon our ability to execute superior customer support throughout the ownership experience. It is imperative that every effort is made to accommodate the affected owners. If you have any questions, please coordinate with the Saturn Customer Assistance Center to help ensure customer satisfaction.

### Seatback Recliner Service Procedure

#### REMOVAL

(1) | Weldnut (typical 4 places)
(2) | Locator Pin

Important: Removing the seat using the following sequence will aid in reassembly of the unit. On coupe passenger seat, DO NOT activate the E-Z entry feature by pulling the recliner release lever on the side of the seat at any time during removal and installation procedures.

1. Remove seat belt from seat belt guide on seat.
2. Move seat to full rearward position by activating the seat adjuster lever.
3. Remove two front bolts from seat in the following order:

a. Front inboard

b. Front outboard

4. Move seat to full forward position by activating the seat adjuster lever.

Notice: If front seat floor pan attachment bolts/nuts are stripped or broken, refer to bulletin 99-T-21 for repair and replacement procedure.

5. Remove two rear bolts from front seat in the following order:

a. Rear outboard

b. Rear inboard

6. For driver's seat, tilt seat backwards and disconnect seat side mount buckle unit wiring harness.
7. Remove seat and place on a clean, protected work surface.

(1) | Only on SC2.

8. On SC2 driver's seat, rotate riser knob to full down position, and remove riser knob cover, fastener, and riser knob.
9. Remove recliner handle fastener and recliner handle.
10. Remove two outboard seat adjuster side cover fasteners and cover.
11. Remove two inboard seat adjuster side cover fasteners and cover.
12. Remove recliner lever fastener and recliner lever.
13. On coupe passenger seat, remove clip attaching E-Z entry cable to inboard recliner, and separate cable from recliner.

(1) | Seat Cover
(2) | Cushion Frame
(3) | Foam Pad
(4) | Cross Tube
(5) | Seat Cover J-Strip

14. Disengage seat cushion cover rear J-strip at bottom of seat cushion frame.
15. On passenger seat and SC1 driver seat, loosen seat adjuster bolts to assist in removal of seatbacks.
16. Remove four recliner bolts (two bolts on each side of the seat assembly) and remove seatback assembly with recliner mechanism and cross tube attached to seatback.
17. Disengage seat cushion cover J-strip at bottom of seatback cover and slide seatback cover up to expose recliner bolts.
18. Remove four recliner bolts (two bolts on each side of seatback assembly) and separate recliner assemblies and cross tube from seatback assembly.
19. Separate recliners from cross tube and remove recliner cover fastener and cover from recliners.

#### INSTALLATION

1. Install recliner cover and fastener to new recliners. (Refer to page 10 of this bulletin for part number information.)
2. Assemble recliner assemblies to cross tube.
3. Install recliners and cross tube assembly to seatback with four attaching bolts (two bolts on each side of seatback assembly).

Tighten
Tighten attaching bolts to 27 N·m (20 ft-lbs)

4. Pull seatback cover down and engage lower J-strips.

Notice: On coupes, make sure E-Z entry cable mounting arm on recliner does not get caught in seat track.

5. Install seatback assembly to seat cushion assembly with four attaching bolts (two bolts on each side of seat assembly).

Tighten
Tighten attaching bolts to 27 N·m (20 ft-lbs)

Notice: If front seat floor pan attachment bolts/nuts are stripped or broken, refer to bulletin 99-T-21 for repair and replacement procedure.

6. If loosened in removal, tighten seat adjuster bolts.

Tighten
Tighten seat adjuster bolts to 27 N·m (20 ft-lbs)

(1) | Seat Cover
(2) | Cushion Frame
(3) | Foam Pad
(4) | Cross Tube
(5) | Seat Cover J-Strip

7. Wrap seat cushion cover rear flap to cover up recliner cross tube and engage seat cushion cover rear J-strip to seat cushion frame.
8. On coupe passenger seat, attach E-Z entry cable to inboard recliner and install cable retaining clip.
9. Install recliner lever and fastener to seat adjuster.
10. Install inboard seat adjuster side cover and two fasteners using longer fastener in forward location.
11. Install outboard seat adjuster side cover and two fasteners using longer fastener in forward location.
12. On SC2 driver s seat install seat cushion riser knob, fastener, and riser knob cover.

(1) Only on SC2.

13. Install recliner handle and fastener.
14. Set seat in vehicle.
15. For driver s seat, tilt seat backwards and reconnect seat side mount buckle unit wiring harness.

Notice: Seat bolts must be installed and torqued in the proper sequence to prevent seat adjuster damage.

16. Apply Loctite 242® Threadlocker (P/N 21485277) or equivalent to the four seat bolts.
17. Install and torque rear inboard seat bolt (1).

Tighten
Tighten rear inboard seat bolt to 30 N·m (22 ft-lbs)

18. Install and torque rear outboard seat bolt (2).

Tighten
Tighten rear outboard seat bolt to 30 N·m (22 ft-lbs)

19. Install and torque front outboard seat bolt (3).

Tighten
Tighten front outboard seat bolt to 30 N·m (22 ft-lbs)

20. Move seat assembly to full rearward position by activating the seat adjustment lever.
21. Install and torque front inboard seat bolt (4).

Tighten
Tighten front inboard seat bolt to 30 N·m (22 ft-lbs)

22. Insert seat belt into seat belt guide on side of seat.
23. Repeat the complete set of procedures for the other seat.
24. Once both seats have the seat recliners replaced, open the hood and affix Recall Identification Label on a clean, dry surface of the radiator core support, in an area clearly visible when the hood is raised. (Refer to "Recall Identification Label" information in this bulletin.)
25. Perform Seat Functional Check procedure on the following page.

### Seat Functional Check

Sit in each seat and perform the following checks.

1. Buckle and unbuckle the seat belt.
2. Activate adjuster lever and move seat to various positions along seat tracks to ensure proper operation. The seat should lock at each desired position.
3. On coupe passenger seat, from the outside of the vehicle, check the operation of the E-Z entry feature.

3.1. | Pull up on the recliner release lever. The seatback should tilt forward and the seat assembly should move to the full-forward position.

3.2. | Move the seatback to its upright position and slide the seat assembly rearward until it locks into place.

4. Lift recliner lever and move the seatback to the fully reclined position, checking the ease of lever operation and seatback movement. Release the lever, checking the ease of lever operation and that the seatback remains in the fully reclined position. The recliner lever should move easily and feel spring loaded.
5. Lift the recliner lever and position the seatback in a partially reclined position. Release the recliner lever and ensure that lever returns to down position. Check that the recliner mechanism engages and holds the seatback in the chosen position. Apply force to the seatback, checking how well the mechanism engages and locks in place. The mechanism should not slip out of place when force is applied.
6. Lift the recliner lever and position the seat in the normal operating position. Release the recliner lever, checking that the recliner mechanism engages and holds the seatback in the normal operating position. Apply force to the seatback, checking how well the mechanism engages and locks in place.

### Recall Identification Label

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 (03-C-04) 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).

### Credit

1. To receive credit for replacing the seatback recliner assemblies, submit a claim with the information below:

Repair Performed | Failed Part No.* | Sale Type | Case Type | Labor Op | Labor Hours | Admin. Hrs. **
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Coupe -- Replace driver and passenger seatback recliners | 21051313 21051315 21051312 21051310 | WC | VC | V0963 | 1.6 | 0.1

2. To receive credit for loaner/rental car cost or other goodwill expenses, submit a claim with the information below:

Service Performed | Case Type | Labor Op. | Admin. Hrs. | Net Item Amount | Net Item Code | # Days Rental
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Loaner Reimbursement | VC | V0932 | N/A | *** | C | ****
Other Goodwill | VC | V0933 | N/A | *** | R | N/A
Customer Reimbursement | VC | V0934 | 0.2 | ***** | R | N/A

3. Retailers are empowered to use good judgement regarding loaner/rental cars or any other goodwill expenses deemed necessary. It will not be necessary to call the Saturn Customer Assistance Center for authorization of goodwill. The Goodwill Worksheet (printed toward the back of this bulletin) must be used to document goodwill expenses. The completed Goodwill Worksheet must be attached to the hard copy of the CSO. Retailers are to make sufficient copies of the blank Goodwill Worksheet to document goodwill expenses.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Customer Reimbursement Claims - Special Attention Required.

A. Customer reimbursement claims must have the date of the front seatback recliner prior replacement entered into the "repair date" field of the CSO in the "Labor Detail/Comments" screen.

B. Customer reimbursement claims must have the mileage of the prior repair of the front seatback replacement entered on the "Service Order Hub" screen in the "miles in" field.

C. Customer reimbursement claims must have entered into the "technician comments" field the CSO # (if repair was completed at a Saturn Retail Facility) date, mileage, customer name, and any deductibles and taxes paid by the customer.

D. Customer reimbursement claims must be submitted on a different CSO than the Recall repair. This is because the repair date and mileage differ between the two repairs.

7. Claiming Loctite 242® Threadlocker

Replacement of front seatback recliners requires the use of part number 21485277 - Loctite 242® Threadlocker. It will be necessary to sell Loctite 242® Threadlocker to the CSO as "material" using net item code "M."

Claims received in the amount of $1.25 ($.89 dealer cost plus 40% parts allowance) for this part will be accepted. Claims exceeding the amount of $1.25 will be returned with Return Reason 143 - material/reimbursement > maximum allowed.

* The parts allowance should be the sum total of the current SSPO retailer net price plus 40% of all parts required for the repair

** Recall administration allowance

*** Net amount must be submitted as a miscellaneous sale...Loaner reimbursement not to exceed $30/day

**** Enter number of days vehicle was rented...Not to exceed 1 day

***** Customer requests for reimbursement of previously paid repairs to replace one or more front seatback recliners.

January, 2003

Dear Saturn Owner:

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

Saturn has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1994 and 1995 model year Saturn coupe vehicles. Some front seat recliners were made with a part that failed to meet Saturn s stringent quality standards. The recliner gear teeth may wear excessively through repeated use, and may cause the seatback to slip partially rearward when force is applied. If left unrepaired, the wear will continue and may result in the seatback fully reclining when force is applied. If this happens while the vehicle is being driven, it could cause a loss of control and a crash. To correct this condition, Saturn will replace both the driver and front passenger seatback recliner mechanisms.

What Saturn will do:

We will replace your vehicle s front seatback recliner mechanisms at no charge to you. It will take about 2 hours to make the repairs, although some additional time may be required for paperwork and processing.

What you should do:

Contact your Saturn Retailer to arrange to have this service performed.

Your Retailer is prepared to perform this service promptly and with minimal inconvenience to you. However, if your car is provided to the Retailer on the agreed service date and the condition is not remedied on that date, or within a reasonable time, please contact the Saturn Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-553-6000 prompt 3, or for the hearing impaired, 1-800-833-6000. We will assist you and the Retailer in getting your car serviced.

If, after contacting your Saturn Retailer and the Saturn Customer Assistance Center, you are still not satisfied we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge, you may wish to write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590, or call 1-888-327-4236.

If you have already paid for some or all of the cost to have your seatback recliner mechanisms replaced for this condition, you may be eligible for reimbursement. If the repair was performed by a Saturn retail facility, please contact your nearest Saturn Retailer to file a claim for reimbursement. The facility will have all the necessary documentation to process your reimbursement. If the repair was performed by a non-Saturn facility, your Retailer will need an original or a copy of your receipts or invoices verifying the repair, proof of payment, and proof of ownership of the vehicle at the time of the repair. Or, if you prefer to arrange for reimbursement through the mail, send the documents to Saturn Corporation, P.O. Box 1505, Spring Hill, TN. 37174. If you choose to request reimbursement by mail, additional processing time may be required. It will still be necessary to have this recall repair performed on your vehicle, even if you have had previous repairs to the seat recliners.

Again, we sincerely regret any inconvenience or concern this situation may cause you. We want you to know that we will do our best, throughout your ownership experience, to ensure that your Saturn provides you many miles of enjoyable driving.

Saturn Corporation

03C04

A Subsidiary of General Motors