SL L4-1.9L SOHC VIN 8 (1997)
Technical Service Bulletin # 96-C-02
Date: 970801
Recall - Manual Steering Gear Assembly Fails
NO.: 96-C-02
SAFETY
DATE: August 1997
GROUP: CHST
PRODUCT CAMPAIGN BULLETIN
SUBJECT:
MANUAL STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY
YEAR and MODEL:
1996 AND 1997 SATURN SL SEDANS
TO: ALL SATURN RETAILERS and AUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERS
The Highway Safety Act, as amended, provides that each vehicle which is subject to a recall campaign 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 owner and to repair
their vehicle as soon as possible. As you will see in reading the attached copy of the owner letter, the owners are being instructed to contact the Saturn
Customer Assistance Center if their Retailer does not remedy the condition within five (5) days of the mutually agreed upon service date. If the condition
is not remedied within a reasonable time, owners are instructed on how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
DEFECT INVOLVED
Saturn has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1996 and 1997 Saturn vehicles equipped with manual steering.
Under high steering system load conditions, typical only of parking lot or similar low speed maneuvers, the pinion bearing cage in the steering gear could
separate. This could result in the pinion gear disengaging from the rack, causing degradation or loss of steering control and could result in a vehicle crash
without prior warning. To correct this condition, Retailers will replace the manual steering gear assembly.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
1996-1997 Saturn SL Sedans equipped with manual steering in the following VIN range will require this campaign:
TZ232298 through VZ26O623
It is important to note that campaign claims will only be paid on involved vehicles.
OWNER NOTIFICATION
Owners of 1996 and 1997 Saturn SL Sedan models involved will be notified of this campaign by Saturn. (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) is enclosed.
This listing contains:
^
Owner's name with address and telephone number;
^
Complete Vehicle Identification Number (VIN); and
^
VINs of vehicles, which according to Saturn records are in retail stock.
The Facility VIN Listing (with owner information) is furnished to involved Retailers with the Product Campaign Bulletin. Although these vehicles are
assigned to your facility, it is important to note that owners may elect to have their vehicle serviced at the Saturn Retail Facility of their choice.
Those Retailers not involved initially in this campaign will receive a message at the top of a blank Facility VIN Listing that states: NO VEHICLES
ASSIGNED AT THIS TIME FOR CAMPAIGN 96CO2.
