Dealer's Letter
May 19, 1989TO: ALL CHEVROLET DEALERS
SUBJECT: SPECIAL POLICY - TEMPORARY REDUCTION OF POWER STEERING ASSIST WHEN
COLD: 1985-88 CELEBRITY, CAVALIER 1987-88 CORSICA, BERETTA 1985 CITATION
As part of Chevrolet's continuing commitment to Customer Satisfaction, we want you to be aware of a Special Policy that may be of value to your customers.
General Motors has determined that all 1985-87 Chevrolet Celebrity and Cavalier, 1985 Citation, 1987 Corsica and Beretta, and also some 1988 models (see attached), equipped with power steering may exhibit a temporary reduction of power steering assist when the vehicle is started cold. After a short period of engine operation, full assist is restored. Chevrolet has issued the attached Chevrolet Dealer Service Bulletin No. 88-417-3B which provides the procedure to properly address this condition.
We are also issuing a five (5) year or 50,000 mile Special Policy as referred to in the bulletin. This Special Policy Adjustment Bulletin should be filed in the Special Policy Adjustment Bulletin Binder previously furnished to dealers.
Please communicate this information to your Service Manager and other involved employes.
We regret any inconvenience this condition may have caused your customers.
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CREATED ON 5/25/89 AT Page 1
TO: ALL CHEVROLET DEALERS
SUBJECT: SPECIAL POLICY - TEMPORARY REDUCTION OF POWER STEERING ASSIST WHEN COLD
FOLLOWING IS A COPY OF A NEWS RELEASE WE WILL ISSUE THURSDAY, MAY 25, ANNOUNCING THAT WE ARE EXTENDING OUR FIVEYEAR, 50,000-MILE SPECIAL POLICY--COVERING FREE REPAIR OF TEMPORARY REDUCTION IN POWER STEERING ASSIST--TO INCLUDE CERTAIN 1985-1988 FRONT-DRIVE CARS.
AS WE SAY IN THE RELEASE, WE'RE TAKING THIS ACTION IN THE INTEREST OF OUR MUTUAL CUSTOMERS.
AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THE COLD CLIMATE, COLD-START POWER STEERING PROBLEM IS MORE OF A NUISANCE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. BUT EVEN THOUGH IT HAPPENS ONLY FOR A MINUTE OR TWO ON STARTING THE CAR, IT CAN BE ANNOYING TO SOME OF OUR CUSTOMERS. WE WANT TO BE SURE THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY TO FIX IT IF THE CONDITION SHOWS UP--OR HAS SHOWN UP--IN THEIR CAR DURING THE TIME AND MILEAGE LIMITS OF THE SPECIAL POLICY.
IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN, SINCE THIS TEMPORARY CONDITION DOESN'T HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, AND, OF COURSE, MANUAL STEERING IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
TECHNICAL DETAILS OF HOW THE POLICY IS TO BE IMPLEMENTED WERE MAILED To YOUR SERVICE MANAGER LAST WEEK.
IMMEDIATELY, THURSDAY, MAY 25, 1989
DETROIT--IN THE INTEREST OF CONTINUED CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, GENERAL MOTORS IS EXTENDING ITS FIVEYEAR/50,000 MILE SPECIAL POLICY--COVERING FREE REPAIR OF A POSSIBLE TEMPORARY INITIAL REDUCTION IN POWER STEERING ASSIST--TO INCLUDE CERTAIN FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE CARS PRODUCED BETWEEN 1985 AND 1988.
THE LIMITED WARRANTY ON POWER STEERING SYSTEMS FOR THESE GM CARS WAS FOR ONE YEAR OR 12,000 MILES.
SOME OF THE VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE REDUCED POWER STEERING ASSIST UPON FIRST STARTING THE CAR, PRIMARILY IN COLD WEATHER. ONCE THE SYSTEM WARMS UP--USUALLY IN ONE OR TWO MINUTES--NORMAL POWER STEERING ASSIST IS RESTORED. THE CONDITION DOES NOT OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN AFTER WARM-UP.
UNDER THE SPECIAL POLICY, GM DEALERS WILL REPAIR FREE
OF CHARGE POWER STEERING SYSTEMS THAT EXHIBIT THE PROBLEM DURING THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OR 50,000 MILES OF OPERATION, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. GM ALSO WILL REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO IN THE PAST MAY HAVE PAID TO HAVE THE CONDITION CORRECTED DURING THE TIME AND MILEAGE LIMITS OF THE SPECIAL POLICY, PROVIDED THEY PRESENT PROPER RECEIPTS TO THEIR DEALER.
THE EARLIER SPECIAL POLICY, ANNOUNCED IN JANUARY, 1988, COVERED CERTAIN CARS BUILT BETWEEN 1982 AND 1985.