Jeff M Posted February 19, 2003 Report Share Posted February 19, 2003 Guys and gals, an update has been granted to the original 1997 safety recall regarding subframe bolts pulling through on the cars below. The update makes this recall more accurate since it includes the rest of the cold/salty states some of us live in so, call and schedule up your free fixes. It has been noted that some cars might be covered only till mid year of 1991 so be aware of this, but don't hesistate to check out your car to be sure! And if you car originates from one of the states listed below, then it will qualify within the time frame! Jeff M (copied public data from NHTSA Site) Report Date : February 19, 2003 at 02:49 AM NHTSA Campaign ID number : 00V189000 Makes: OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME Years: 1988-1991 GRAND PRIX Years: 1988-1991 LUMINA Years: 1990-1991 REGAL Years: 1988-1991 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 00V189000 Recall Date : JUL 03, 2000 Component: STRUCTURE Potential Number Of Units Affected : 713435 Summary: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WHERE ROAD SALT USE IS HEAVY. A CONDITION WHERE ONE OR BOTH FRONT ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS CAN PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINERS. Consequence: IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE FRONT OF THE CRADLE WOULD NO LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT COULD SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT AND REAR FRAME/CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS. Notes: OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 28, 2000. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300, PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGPilot Posted February 19, 2003 Report Share Posted February 19, 2003 I would normally say damn because I am not part of the free fix states...but I am very happy that I do not live in a state that uses salt. We use something that I think will prove to be much worst....Calcium Chloride. Eats bare copper like a 2 year old eats cotton candy!!! 8) ps....thanks for the info... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted February 19, 2003 Report Share Posted February 19, 2003 thankfully i live in Wyoming, where they use crushed rock my CS has ablsolutely NO hint of rust on it anywhere. too bad i can't say the same for my rust bucket Malibu, which came from Minnesota. uff da joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skalor Posted February 20, 2003 Report Share Posted February 20, 2003 I went to the pontiac dealer near me to see if I could get them to do the cradle bolts, and they said that it wasn't a recall on my car!! I was like WTF!! Anyways, I asked if I could just order the bolts and retainers and they said yeah, and went to the parts counter and ordered them. I went back three times over 2 weeks to see if they came in from a warehouse that was only 2 hours away. They never came and I've never gone back, except I stop by every once in a while with my small block Jeep CJ-5 and do a smoky burnout at the exit to the lot. If anyone lives in the Lehigh Valley don't goto 'Key Pontiac' off of Rt33. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no1kicker Posted February 20, 2003 Report Share Posted February 20, 2003 So I just have to mention the NHTSA number at the dealer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted February 21, 2003 Report Share Posted February 21, 2003 I called the Buick number and they didn't want the NHTSA #. They found the recall by referencing the cradle bolts. Anyway the last vin # for 91 Regals was (last six digits) M183892. Anything higher was made in a different factory and had different bolts not covered by the recall. Mine's 1859841 so I don't get the recall. So....there is a cut off in 91, at least for Regals. She said the start for 91 was M140045. So that's the range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted February 21, 2003 Report Share Posted February 21, 2003 sorry, forgot I was on TGP!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longislandjim Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 I tried to get my 89 TGP cradle bolts replaced today and was told by the dealer that my TGP is not included in the recall. I then called PMD, who called the dealer again, and stated the same thing. Then I went to the National Highway Safety site and found the original recall documents, which includes my serial number, but there’s a note that not all cars may not be included at the bottom of the list that basically negates any car on the list if they want to. The PMD rep said that my car might have been assembled in a plant that did not have the problem. The interesting part is people have reported this problem with the TGP and they were all assembled at the same place. I find it odd that the TGP is not included and think it is just an oversight. My car has a very loose feeling and I can feel movement in the steering wheel during braking and turning. I don't think a bolt is broken, but could be either loose or stretched. The dealer said I would have to pay $95 for diagnostics and go from there. Is it correct that the TGP is not included in the recall even if they are in the states that have the problem? Has anyone had a TGP repaired by the recall? Thanks for any help in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 wow, this is an old thread!!! the dealer probably told you it wasn't included because the recall was so long ago and they didn't want to do the work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joberlee Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 When i worked at Golling Pontiac GMC in Lake Orion, MI we actually had an 89 GP get bought back under that recall. The first step at most dealers is an appraisal, if it's less than the cost of a cradle they write you a check for the car. Potentially the recall may include an entire new cradle, not just the retainers. The one that got bought back was so bad the trans was almost on the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 When i worked at Golling Pontiac GMC in Lake Orion, MI we actually had an 89 GP get bought back under that recall. The first step at most dealers is an appraisal, if it's less than the cost of a cradle they write you a check for the car. Potentially the recall may include an entire new cradle, not just the retainers. The one that got bought back was so bad the trans was almost on the ground. That is exactly what happened to my '88 Cutlass Supreme...the bolt broke and I ended up getting a check from GM for $600, which is more than the car was worth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeZ34 Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 So.. they just give you a check and you can drive off? Or they keep the car? I've never heard of them doing that, but then again, I've never dealt with any recalls either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 here is another thread this recall http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19035&highlight=cradle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longislandjim Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Thanks for the link! The Pontiac rep worked hard to try to understand why my GTP was not covered. She told me about the seatbelt recall that still needs to be done to my car and that they would do that one. She said it was possible that the car was not assembled in a plant that had the problem. This could actually be true if the cradle was not installed at the Fairfax plant (which I find hard to believe) or they used different bolts at final assembly. I would imagine to ship the car to another assembly point it would have to have the cradle installed. The bottom line is I think they just overlooked us. If the serial number is not in the GMVIS (GM Vehicle Inquiry System) the dealers and the Pontiac Rep use, they will not fix it. It seems none of the TGPs are in that system. We may need to report the failuers to http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/ to open another investigation. I retorqued my 4 cradle bolts to 103 ft/lbs and will try to forget about them for now. The car only has 60k miles and is in very good condition so I don't think rust is the problem. Just replaced the 2 dog-bone torque struts and think I will replace the hydraulic motor mount next. If there is still looseness the next item will be the inner tie rod ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joberlee Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 ummm... you have a loose feeling in the steering? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 They kept the car...wasn't really any good to me because it would have been a lot of work for nothing to fix that car...she was very rusty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longislandjim Posted October 14, 2005 Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 The car feels like there is just something not right about it. I can hear light clunks and feel them in the steering wheel at times. I replaced the front struts and the strut mounts looked fine, but since they can be serviced from the top did not remove the strut to check the bearings. I can even get a slight clunk felt in the steering wheel when the car is still and I rock the steering wheel back and forth. Any ideas? Could the inner tie rod ends be shot in 60k miles? Ball joints? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff M Posted October 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 I had some fun like this , here is a list of what I figured I had to look into and what I found though you might find something different. And what’s this “Newbie†stuff??...I have seen that name a ton , must have been in emails 8) First up is the steering rack bolts/nuts, if they do not have the lock-tight on them from the rack being replaced at some time then they can loosen up. Big 18mm bolts I believe on one side, 15mm on the other, look nasty to get to but not so bad if you have some offset wrenches. New ball joint was bad, gave clunks when turning the steering wheel under a driven load, but not without a driven steering load. That brace that runs from the strut tower to the front clip, BE EASY though as the fronts bolts can be already stripped, or can strip if you re-torque them, I just take off this brace and whack the bolt hole with a hammer to close the hole enough for the bolt to fit tight again, if really stripped then time to go next size up as you need these tight of you will get clunks and some body twist. The rear bolt can seize up from being exposed to the open wheel well crap, spray WD from underneath before you attempt to take out that bolt, if is struggles work any movement of the bolt back and forth in the threads till the WD works things loose, or break it :x . Strut tower covers, the 3 nuts can get loose if not tighten correctly, these are for alignment too but more so for camber if the holes have been elongated. Tie rods maybe, easy to check, lift up one tire off the ground and grab the tire and twist it to see if there is any slop, or you can hear the clunk, though the clunk can still be the rack bolts/nuts. Those are the most common, less common are wheel lugs nuts loose, motor mount bracket at the side of the front head can be loose, same with the ones on the other side that holds the AC compressor, tranny mount nuts and bolts, engine lower mount but these are not common problem areas. Let me know what you found as I will need to add it to my list to inform others like you what is common, or if you find something new 8) Jeff M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longislandjim Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Thanks for the info! I know I had one of these items, the stripped bolts on the drivers front brace. I fixed that and replaced the lower motor mount, still have the issue, but I am just going to live with it. Next will be the inner tie rod ends or ball joints. Seems odd there is no grease fittings anywhere! Checked the steering rack bolts and couldn't even move them. The strut tower botls are tight. Someday I will go through this list again. Thanks agian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontiac6ksteawd Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Sorry for draggin up the old and dead but............ I am in the process of getting my cradle stuff done, on my TGP. Did anyone else, with a TGP, get told they didnt have a problem, but did? If so, can I posibly get your VIN or GM Case Number. They are telling me, even thou mine falls in the "area" that mine wasnt affected. This is the only open recall on my car, and I am trying to get it fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Thats the same exact thing they told me. They looked up my VIN and it falls in the category that needs to be replaced, but no open recalls came up in the system- he even showed it to me on the computer screen- so the previous owner probably had it done. I had them check my cradle just in case, and it was fine- my clunking was due to completely shot suspension and a cracked leafspring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RareGMFan Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 I had the same issue when I went to the dealer. They ran my VIN, and found no open recalls for it. I could have sworn I read that the VIN V's were left out of this recall for some odd reason. The bolts are only like $2 a piece or something, though, and comes in a bag of 5. Not very expensive to buy yourself. The problem is, it's usually the bushings that are shot to high hell. I know mine were toast. The bolt was rattling around loose in the front passenger side. So I completely redid anything and everything (minus the nets on the top of the engine cradles) related to supporting the cradle. New upper bushings, lower bushings, spacers, retainers and bolts on all 4 corners. Cost me around $250 I believe it was. This was the thread: http://www.w-body.com/forum/index.php/topic,46947.0.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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