Owner Letter

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

REASON FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL

General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 1990 through 1992 Oldsmobile Toronado and Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo model vehicles. These vehicles exhibit a condition where the front outer shoulder belt web sew stop may become stuck in the retractor. As a result, the belt can be difficult to pull out of the retractor and some occupants may even be unable to fasten the belt. In the event of a vehicle crash, unbelted occupants are more at significantly greater risk of injury than those using seat belts properly.

Note:
The shoulder belt web sew stop is the raised stitching area on the belt.

ACTION:

Most Oldsmobile Toronado and Toronado Trofeo model vehicles do not have this condition. However, if you have ever found it hard to pull either the driver or right front passenger shoulder belt out to buckle the safety belt, or should you ever experience this in the future, please contact your Oldsmobile retailer and have the retailer install front shoulder belt stop buttons. This service will be performed for you at no charge.

HOW TO INSPECT YOUR BELTS FOR THIS CONDITION:

If you are not sure your Oldsmobile Toronado or Toronado Trofeo has this condition, you can easily inspect it by following the inspection procedure below.

INSPECTION PROCEDURE FOR SHOULDER BELT WEB SEW STOP

Perform the following procedure five (5) times on both the driver's and right front passenger's shoulder belts.

1. Hold the shoulder belt latch plate in one hand and pull the shoulder belt all the way out with the opposite hand

2. At full extension, move the belt webbing to minimize contact to the head rest guide loop.

3. Allow the webbing to retract as fast as possible while keeping the latch plate in your hand to prevent its weight from slowing the webbing down.

If the web sew stop becomes stuck in the retractor during one of these checks making the shoulder belt hard to pull out again, contact your Oldsmobile retailer to have the web stop buttons installed.

If both belts work properly, no repair is necessary.

CONTACTING YOUR OLDSMOBILE RETAILER

To bring your Oldsmobile Toronado or Toronado Trofeo in, please contact your Oldsmobile retailer to arrange a service date. Your retailer will need to know the color of your safety belts when you make this contact. Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your retailer and parts are available. The labor time necessary for your retailer to install the webbing stop buttons is approximately fifteen (15) minutes. Please ask your Oldsmobile retailer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to schedule and process your vehicle.

Your Oldsmobile retailer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide service to promptly corrected your vehicle. However, if you take your vehicle to your retailer on the agreed service date, and they do not remedy this condition then or within five (5) days, we suggest you call Oldsmobile Customer Assistance (1-800-442-6537). Deaf, hearing impaired, or speech impaired persons with telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDD/TTY) may contact Oldsmobile Customer Assistance at 1-800-TDD-OLDS (1-800-833-6537). They will assist you and the retailer in getting your vehicle corrected.

After contacting your retailer and the Oldsmobile Customer Assistance, if you are still not satisfied that we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge and within a reasonable time, you may write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590 or call 1-800-424-9393 (Washington D.C. residents use 202-366-0123).

CUSTOMER REIMBURSEMENT FOR PRIOR FRONT OUTER SAFETY BELT REPLACEMENT

If you already paid for some or all of the cost to have a front outer safety belt replaced due to this condition, prior to receipt of this letter, you may contact your Oldsmobile retailer service department to seek reimbursement. Please provide your retailer with your original paid receipts or invoices verifying the repair, the amount charged, proof of your payment and date of payment of those charges by December 31, 1995, (this limitation of representing the receipt may be longer depending up on the law in your state).

OWNER REPLY CARD:

The enclosed owner reply card identifies your vehicle. Presentation of this card to your retailer will assist in making the necessary correction in the shortest possible time. If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please let us know by completing the postage paid reply card and returning it to us.

We are sorry to cause you this inconvenience; however, we have taken this action for your safety and continued satisfaction with our products.