2001 and Prior Passenger Cars and Trucks
This bulletin is being updated to revise the information in the good and poor examples tables. Please discard Corporate Bulletin Number 00-00-89-015 (Section 00 -- General Information).
A detailed description of the customer's condition, cause and correction (the "3 Cs") are important elements in the vehicle repair process and the General Motors Product Problem Identification and Resolution Process.
ConditionThe Service Advisor should follow these guidelines:
This will provide the detail a technician requires to quickly and accurately resolve the customer's concern. Vague or incomplete information that is only understood by the Service Advisor is usually not sufficient to begin the diagnosis process.
An example of a poorly-worded description would be "noise in dash." A much better description would be "squeak noise from right side of dash near A/C outlet when going over bumps, worse when cold." This level of definition will improve your ability to repair the vehicle.
Cause and CorrectionThe technician's documentation of the cause and correction are also necessary to accurately determine the appropriate warranty reimbursement. This information also provides GM engineers with the necessary information to identify and resolve product problems faster. A descriptive, suspected cause is frequently missing from repair orders, while the correction is often limited to the R&R of the affected component. The following information is very important to GM, but is rarely noted on the RO:
This information is also useful for your warranty claim personnel to apply for the appropriate warranty reimbursement.
Detailed documentation of the "3 Cs" not only improves the dealer repair and warranty reimbursement process, but is also important when regional personnel review and approve claims. In addition, when parts are returned to the Warranty Parts Center (WPC), the additional information is extremely useful in the problem resolution process.
These guidelines may appear to be obvious, but they are frequently lacking when reviewing claims or when parts are returned to the WPC. The following are examples of effective and ineffective "3 Cs" documentation.
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Left rear door bad paint | Condition: | LT RR door paint under handle bubbling |
Cause: | Bubbles | Cause: | Bubble under the clearcoat on the left rear door under the handle |
Correction: | Refinish door | Correction: | R&R outer door handle and belt molding to sand and paint |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Rust on trunk lid | Condition: | Customer states trunk lid is rusting all along bottom |
Cause: | No paint | Cause: | No paint along bottom of trunk lid - inside |
Correction: | Refinish | Correction: | Sand, prime and paint lower inside of trunk lid |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | LF door doesn't fit right | Condition: | LF door does not fit flush to quarter panel |
Cause: | Striker needs adjustment | Cause: | Striker out of alignment |
Correction: | Adjust striker | Correction: | Move striker 2 mm |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Can't open tailgate | Condition: | Customer states tailgate will not open |
Cause: | Handle broken | Cause: | T-gate handle stressed cracked at pivot arms |
Correction: | Replace handle | Correction: | Replaced T-gate handle and bezel |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Water leak in rear | Condition: | Customer reports water leak at rear cargo door area |
Cause: | Bad weatherstrip | Cause: | Rear cargo door weatherstrip loose at pinch weld |
Correction: | Reinstall w/s | Correction: | Reinstall and reglue pinchweld weatherstrip, water test OK |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Rattle in dash | Condition: | Customer states rattle in dash on passenger side behind glove box |
Cause: | Loose parts | Cause: | Dash supports on passenger side loose. Also air bag not secure in dash |
Correction: | Tighten bolts | Correction: | R&R RF knee bolster, tighten bolts in dash, secure air bag |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Vibration/noise in dash | Condition: | Customer states the blower motor vibrates on high |
Cause: | Fan bad | Cause: | Foreign material in squirrel cage |
Correction: | R&R fan | Correction: | R&R fan motor and remove foreign material |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Heater doesn't work | Condition: | Heater intermittently blows cold air, possible blend door problem |
Cause: | Actuator shorted | Cause: | HVAC temperature blend actuator shorted intermittent |
Correction: | Replace actuator | Correction: | Replaced HVAC temperature blend actuator |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Vehicle pulls | Condition: | Vehicle pulls while driving and front tires wearing |
Cause: | Alignment out of spec | Cause: | Camber out on RF wheel, toe out of alignment |
Correction: | Realign front end | Correction: | Toe out .10, set to .04. Caster out 5.38. 6.2 camber -.6 to -.4 gng |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Oil leak in rear | Condition: | Customer states oil leak at rear axle |
Cause: | Rear seals leaking | Cause: | Both rear hub oil seals leaking, shoes saturated |
Correction: | Replace seals and shoes | Correction: | R&R rear drum -- replaced seals and shoes |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Clunk under car | Condition: | Clunk noise on accel from a stop |
Cause: | Prop shaft noisy | Cause: | Propeller shaft making noise on take off, lack of proper lubrication |
Correction: | Lube shaft | Correction: | R&R shaft lube with GM P/N 123456789, special lube |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Noise in rear | Condition: | Loud growling noise in rear end over 20 mph (32 km/h) |
Cause: | Bearing bad | Cause: | Pinion bearing failure - high preload turning torque 40 lb in (4.5 N·m |
Correction: | Replace all rear end bearings | Correction: | Replaced rear differential pinion and side bearings |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Vibration when stopping | Condition: | Customer states brake vibration |
Cause: | Rotors out of round | Cause: | Measured rotor runout and found .008" left and .010" right |
Correction: | Replace rotors and pads | Correction: | Replaced front brake rotors and pads with updated parts |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Click on front end | Condition: | Customer reports clicking noise from left front axle area |
Cause: | Bolt missing | Cause: | Found splash shield hitting rotor and bolt missing |
Correction: | Replace bolt | Correction: | R&R wheel and replacing missing bolt and straighten shield |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Noise under hood | Condition: | Belt squeal from engine area |
Cause: | Worn belt | Cause: | Serpentine belt worn and paint in grooves |
Correction: | Replace belt | Correction: | Clean pulleys and install new belt |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Battery dead | Condition: | Customer states alternator not charging |
Cause: | Alternator not charging | Cause: | Battery dead, charged battery (good battery), alternator not charging 5A, 12.22V |
Correction: | Replace alternator | Correction: | Replaced alternator. Tested new alternator, charging 130A, 12.39V |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Oil leak under vehicle | Condition: | Owner observes fluid around transfer case |
Cause: | Seal leaking | Cause: | Oil dripping from the front output seal |
Correction: | Replace seal | Correction: | Replace transfer case front output seal, added fluid |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Underhood smell | Condition: | Check for smell from engine area |
Cause: | Hose cracked | Cause: | EVAP hose intake to canister cracked |
Correction: | Replace hose | Correction: | Replaced EVAP hose assembly and valve |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | SES light on | Condition: | CS SES lamp comes on after hard acceleration |
Cause: | Catalytic converter clogged | Cause: | Code P0300, catalytic converter clogged, #2 cylinder misfire |
Correction: | Replace converter | Correction: | Replaced converter and retest. 0 PSI backpressure. Road test |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Right turn signal doesn't work | Condition: | RT FRT turn signal lens has moisture in it causing the bulb to blow |
Cause: | Socket corroded | Cause: | Diagnosis right front lower marker lamp socket corroded causing bulb failure |
Correction: | Replace socket and lens | Correction: | Necessary to replace RF marker lamp socket and RF marker lamp lens |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Oil under front | Condition: | Oil or fluid under engine area |
Cause: | Switch and plug leaking | Cause: | Leaking oil pressure switch and oil pressure plug at adapter |
Correction: | Replaced switch and plug | Correction: | Replace leaking oil pressure switch - reseal oil pressure plug at filter adapter |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Radio reception bad | Condition: | Radio reception very poor with engine running |
Cause: | Wrong cable | Cause: | .40 ohms outside cable, .80 ohms inside cable, 6.21 M-ohms between the two |
Correction: | Replace antenna and cable | Correction: | Replace antenna cable and mast base |
Poor Example | Good Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Condition: | Static in radio | Condition: | Radio has excessive static |
Cause: | Antenna bad | Cause: | Antenna is stuck on base and lead-in is corroded |
Correction: | Replace antenna assembly | Correction: | Replace antenna mast, base and lead in assembly |
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GM bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians,
NOT a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform these
technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to
provide information that could assist in the proper service of a
vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment,
tools, safety instructions, and know-how to do a job properly and
safely. If a condition is described, DO NOT assume that the
bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have
that condition. See your GM dealer for information on whether
your vehicle may benefit from the information. |
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