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Accessories - Improved Performance of Electrical Devices

File In Section: 9 - Accessories

Bulletin No.: 83-90-15

Date: October, 1998

INFORMATION

Subject:
Improved Performance of Various Electrical Devices
(Radar Detectors, Garage Door Openers, Etc.)

Models:
1997-99 Chevrolet Venture
1997-99 Oldsmobile Silhouette
1997-99 Pontiac Trans Sport

Various transmitting/receiving equipment such as radar detectors, garage door openers or toll booth E-Z passes may experience reduced performance in some of the above listed vehicles. Interferance may be caused by a metallized windshield coating used for solar reflection (to improve cooling) and as the radio antenna.

To improve performance of these devices, the top corners of the windshield are not covered by the metal coating. The non-metallic areas are approximately 102 mm (4 in.) wide by 305 mm (12 in.) long and located within the tinted shadeband area. These areas are visible from the outside of the vehicle and appear as darker non-reflective areas.

Customers should be instructed that any electronic device can be located in these areas and used without interference. For convenience, these areas correspond to the approximate location of the sunvisors allowing a clear "line-of-sight" for any device clipped to the sunvisors.

Please note that the metal coating will not block all transmissions and many devices may operate satisfactorily through the entire windshield area. The metallized windshield is only an obstruction to electronic devices located within the vehicle that do not have an externally mounted antenna.