Recall - Clogged Catalytic Convertor
NUMBER: WZV-40DATE: September 7, 1990
APPLICABILITY:
1987MY 4WD Federal 3D, 4D, SW DL & GL Specification Vehicles
SUBJECT:
Clogged Catalytic Converter
Subaru of America has determined that a number of 1987 Model 4WD non-Turbo Federal Specification vehicles equipped with a non-feedback carburetor may experience clogging of the catalytic converter. These vehicles are equipped with a dual bed catalytic converter in which the front catalyst is restrained by a support mesh. Under certain conditions in which the vehicle is driven with excessively heavy engine load under high speed operation, the supporting mesh becomes fatigued and its restraint force is reduced resulting in a breakdown of the catalyst material and clogging of the catalytic converter. A clogged catalyst can cause a vehicle to experience reduced acceleration and power.
Therefore, Subaru of America will notify the potentially affected 1987 Model 4WD non-Turbo Federal vehicle owners that if they experience the driveability and performance symptoms associated with a clogged catalytic converter, they should contact their dealer who will replace the catalytic converter with an improved part at no cost to the owner.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
The affected vehicles are 1987 Model 4WD non-Turbo Federal 3-door coupes, 4-door sedans and station wagon DL and GL models. This campaign does not affect California models.
These vehicles have been identified by Vehicle Identification Number computer listings. Computer listings contain the complete Vehicle Identification Number, owner name and address data, and are furnished to the dealers with this bulletin. Owner name and address data furnished will enable dealers to follow-up with owners involved in this campaign.
These listings may contain owner names and addresses obtained from State Motor Vehicle Registration Records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any other purpose is a violation of law in several states. Accordingly, you are urged to limit the use of this listing to the follow-up necessary to complete this campaign. Any dealer not receiving a computer listing with the campaign bulletin has no involved vehicles currently assigned.
OWNER NOTIFICATION
SOA will prepare and mail an Owner Notification Letter and a two-part Recall Certification/Repair Order Form to the owners of all potentially affected vehicles. The owner notification mailing is scheduled for September 1990. A copy of the Owner Notification Letter and a sample two-part Recall Certification/Repair Order Form are included in this bulletin.
DEALER CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY
Dealers are to promptly repair all affected vehicles regardless of the vehicle's age or mileage, at no charge to owners. When you are presented a two-part Recall Certification/Repair Order Form by a Subaru owner, follow the instructions presented in the Service Procedure section of this bulletin.
For manual transmission equipped vehicles, catalytic converter replacement is based on your confirmation of the driveability symptoms of reduced acceleration and power and/or a broken catalytic material rattle. For automatic equipped models, although all vehicles may not experience this problem, we have elected to replace the catalytic converter for any owner presenting an automatic vehicle for corrective repair. Replacement of the front exhaust pipe for vehicles previously repaired with P/N 441 01 GA750 is not necessary. For further details, please refer to the sections entitled "Service Procedure" and "Recall Impact on Customer Satisfaction."
Whenever a vehicle subject to this campaign is taken into vehicle inventory, or is in your dealership for service in the future, you should check for the driveability symptoms. If any of these campaign driveability symptoms exist, be sure the campaign correction has been made before reselling or releasing the vehicle.
Owners of vehicles recently sold from your vehicle inventory within the VIN range listed are to be contacted by the dealer, and arrangements should be made to make the required correction according to instructions contained in this bulletin.
PARTS INFORMATION
Quantities of the front exhaust pipe assembly P/N 441 01 GA750 are available through your normal parts supply.
Parts Pricing:
SERVICE PROCEDURE - Front Exhaust Pipe Assembly (EPF)
1) Verify that the vehicle has not been repaired (no "Campaign Completion label") and the vehicle is included in the VIN Range listed.
NOTE:
Further replacement of the EPF for vehicles previously repaired with P/N 441 01 GA750 is not necessary. See Figure 1 for EPF identification. Under this campaign, only one EPF (P/N 441 01 GA750) replacement is allowed per VIN.
2 a) For manual transmission equipped vehicles, confirm that the owner is experiencing the driveability symptoms of reduced acceleration and power. Proceed to Step 3.
b) For automatic equipped models, proceed directly to Step 4.
3) Without removing the EPF, rap the converter cover with a rubber hammer or mallet to determine the presence of broken catalytic material or rattle. If driveability symptoms and/or catalytic material rattle have been confirmed, proceed to Step 4.
4) Remove the existing EPF following the procedures in the applicable Service Manual Section 2-9 and retain all attachment hardware, if reusable.
5) Install a new EPF (P/N 441 01 GA750) using the attachment hardware from Step 4.
NOTE:
Replacement of the preheat tube is not necessary for vehicles repaired under campaign number WZW-39.
6) Apply the Campaign Completion label.
7) All replaced EPFs must be held for disposition by a Distributor Representative.
CAMPAIGN COMPLETION LABEL
Each vehicle corrected in accordance with the instructions outlined in this bulletin will require a "Campaign Completion Label." This label is to be affixed to the top surface of the air cleaner cover which will be visible when the vehicle is brought in for periodic servicing by the owner. Apply the "Campaign Completion Label" only on a clean dry surface.
A quantity of 50 labels are being provided to each dealer with this bulletin. Additional quantities of these labels are available through your local regional office or Distributor.
CLAIM PROCESSING INFORMATION - REIMBURSEMENT
Credit for the performance of the front exhaust pipe assembly replacement per the Service Procedure will be provided from the two-part Recall Certification/Repair Order Form. Therefore, it is very important that all information on the form be complete and correct.
All claims for reimbursement should follow the procedures outlined below.
You must complete the repairing dealer section of the two-part Recall Certification/Repair Order Form and remove and retain the first copy for your records.
Star System dealers may enter the applicable information using the Campaign Claim (RY) routine.
Non Star System dealers will be reimbursed upon submission of the remaining copy of the Recall Certification/Repair Order Form to your Distributor/Region in an envelope with postage prepaid.
Dealer will be credited with 0.7 hours warranty labor rate (0.1 hours inspection plus 0.6 hours R/R) plus dealer cost and handling allowance for the front exhaust pipe replacement based on the two-part Recall Certification/ Repair Order Form. Retail states will receive reimbursement at suggested retail cost.
As indicated in step 4 of the Service Procedure, attachment hardware should be reused. However, it it is necessary to replace the attachment hardware. an MSA-400A must be submitted listing individual part numbers. The MSA-400A must be submitted through normal channels, using operation number 101-101 (0.0 hours), failure code WZV40, and override code WZV40.
If it is necessary to replace the rear exhaust pipe and/or muffler due to rattling catalytic material, an MSA-400A must be submitted using labor operation 446-301 (0.3 hours) for the rear exhaust pipe and labor operation 229- 281 (0.3 hours) for muffler replacement. The MSA-400A must be submitted through normal channels, using failure code WZV40, and override code WZV40.
Dealer will be credited with 0.3 hours warranty labor plus applicable dealer cost and handling allowance for the rear exhaust pipe and/or muffler replacement based on submission of the MSA-400A form.
TOWING CHARGES
In the event a vehicle needs to be towed to a Subaru dealer for repairs under this campaign, towing charges will be reimbursed using an MSA-400A, using labor operation 101 -207, 0.0 hours, failure code TOW-00.
Owner Reimbursement
If an owner of an affected vehicle inquires about reimbursement for the front catalytic exhaust pipe and attachment hardware repair costs which was performed prior to this campaign (WZV-40) and the owner paid for these repairs, please instruct the owner to follow the procedures listed below.
The owner must forward the original or original carbon copy of the repair invoice, which has completed information including date of repair, vehicle mileage, vehicle identification number and name, with correct address and telephone number, to the address listed below:
Subaru of America
Attention: Recall Headquarters
Subaru Plaza
P.O. Box 6000, 2235 Rt. 70 West
Cherry Hill, N.J. 08034-6000
Please have the owner send original receipts only and retain a photocopy for your records. Please assure the owner that we will attempt to process his/her reimbursement request as quickly as possible, but it may take as long as 90-120 days for this process to be completed.
Recall Impact On Customer Satisfaction
The recall is a positive effort on our part to satisfy our owners and should be presented as such to the customer.
If a customer's driveability problem is not related to the clogged catalyst problem take the extra effort to explain your findings to him/her. This may address the customer's concern in the event that additional diagnosis and/or service is required at the customer's expense. This extra effort to explain the situation will show the customer that you value him/her.
Recognize and respect the inconvenience this situation may be for the customer and thank them for their interest in keeping their Subaru properly maintained.
We recommend that you establish a service file on this recall and keep all documents relating to this recall in that file. Furthermore, we suggest that you discuss this recall with members of your staff so that they will be knowledgeable in the proper handling procedures. This will ensure that this recall runs smoothly.
RECALL CERTIFICATION/REPAIR ORDER FORM
OWNER LETTER
SUBARU OF AMERICA
Subaru Plaza
P.O. Box 6000
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000
September 1990
Dear Subaru Owner:
Subaru of America has determined that a number of 1987 Model 4WD nonTurbo Federal specification carbureted 4-Door Sedan, 3-Door and Station Wagon vehicles, equipped with manual transmission, may experience clogging of the catalytic converter. The catalyst is a primary part of the emission control system. A clogged catalyst can cause your vehicle to experience reduced acceleration and power. If your vehicle has developed these symptoms, you should contact your Subaru Dealer who will determine whether these symptoms are due to a clogged catalyst. If so, your dealer will replace the catalytic converter with an improved part at no cost to you. If a clogged catalyst is not replaced, driveability and performance problems will increase which may ultimately result in the need to tow your vehicle.
If your vehicle has developed the symptoms of reduced acceleration and power, you should make an appointment with your Subaru Dealer for corrective action. The labor time to perform this campaign procedure is approximately 4O minutes. However, please plan to leave your Subaru vehicle at your Subaru Dealer for the full day of your scheduled appointment to allow the dealer some flexibility in scheduling other customers.
You must present the enclosed two-part Recall Certification/Repair Order Form to your Subaru Dealer at the time this determination and repair procedure is performed. If you lose this form, please contact the Customer Relations Department of the Subaru Distributor/Region responsible for your area shown on the map on the back of this letter. You will then be sent a new form. If you are no longer in possession of this vehicle, please complete the enclosed prepaid postcard and mail it to us so that we may update our records.
We regret any inconvenience this may cause you. However, we have taken this action to assure that your vehicle continues to meet Federal emission requirements and assure your continued satisfaction with our product.