Windshield washer heater disable

[cadillacjeff7777]

The guy at Cadillac would not definitively say whether or not the dealer had the right to perform the recall without consent but did say that the recall stipulates that the customer be notified prior to it's execution. :/

[Logan]

Sometimes....GM will issue a 'stop sale' if some type of safety defect is discovered. That means the car cannot be sold until it is repaired (new or used car sitting on the lot).

In the GM media post above it was mentioned a 'second' pattern of failure had been discovered. Maybe GM issued a stop sale on those. Remember the plastic fuel rails? Same thing.

Can they hijack the car until the work is done? Don't know..

[cadillacjeff7777]

TSB 10153B

Technicians are to confirm that the customer is aware that this safety recall is being performed

on their vehicle prior to performing the repair.

If a customer refuses to have this safety recall performed on their vehicle, dealers are to

provide the customer with a copy of the "Notice to Customer" document provided in this

bulletin, record on the repair order "customer declined recall repair" and, if possible, have the

customer sign the repair order. A labor code is provided for customers who refuse the repair.

This labor code will not close the recall. If the customer, or a new owner, decides at a later

date to have the recall performed, perform the repair and submit the claim using the

appropriate V labor code.

This service procedure will permanently disable and remove the heated windshield washer

fluid system. After performing the procedure, dealers are to issue a $100 USD/$105 CDN

check to the customer of record as compensation for the loss of this feature (see Q&A section

in this bulletin for additional details). Involved vehicles currently in dealer/retailer new or used

car inventory are not eligible for a check. However, all new vehicles currently in dealer/retailer

inventory will be re-invoiced with appropriate dealer credit for the elimination of this feature.

[Texas Jim]

TSB 10153B

Technicians are to confirm that the customer is aware that this safety recall is being performed

on their vehicle prior to performing the repair.

If a customer refuses to have this safety recall performed on their vehicle, dealers are to

provide the customer with a copy of the "Notice to Customer" document provided in this

bulletin, record on the repair order "customer declined recall repair" and, if possible, have the

customer sign the repair order. A labor code is provided for customers who refuse the repair.

This labor code will not close the recall. If the customer, or a new owner, decides at a later

date to have the recall performed, perform the repair and submit the claim using the

appropriate V labor code.

This service procedure will permanently disable and remove the heated windshield washer

fluid system. After performing the procedure, dealers are to issue a $100 USD/$105 CDN

check to the customer of record as compensation for the loss of this feature (see Q&A section

in this bulletin for additional details). Involved vehicles currently in dealer/retailer new or used

car inventory are not eligible for a check. However, all new vehicles currently in dealer/retailer

inventory will be re-invoiced with appropriate dealer credit for the elimination of this feature.

I do vaguely remember now that you mention it, my service writer printing off something for me to sign when I kept telling them to leave it alone.

I reckon that was the "NOTICE TO CUSTOMER" mentioned in the TSB.

[cadillacjeff7777]

I have this Alphatherm heater that I ordered but it did not come with a mounting bracket. There is no mounting braket left by the rogue dealership. Does anyone know how I can mount this thing?

[guyslp]

Information on any and all recalls can be found at the NHTSA website. The safety recall related to this heater is rather exceptional in that there were two successive recalls, the first in an attempt to fix what was thought to be the underlying issue and a second after the fix was found to make matters worse. It's also interesting to see that the second recall states (caps are theirs, I'm not trying to yell): "A RECALL WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2008 TO ADD A FUSE TO THE CONTROL CIRCUIT HARNESS TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) ELECTRICAL SHORT. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN NEW REPORTS OF THERMAL INCIDENTS ON HWFS MODULES AFTER THIS IMPROVEMENT WAS INSTALLED. THESE INCIDENTS RESULTED FROM A NEW FAILURE MODE ATTRIBUTED TO THE DEVICE'S THERMAL PROTECTION FEATURE. THE SIGNIFICANCE VARIES FROM MINOR DISTORTION TO CONSIDERABLE MELTING OF THE PLASTIC AROUND THE HWFS FLUID CHAMBER.

CONSEQUENCE:

IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR."

It goes on further to state:

"REMEDY:

DEALERS WILL PERMANENTLY DISABLE AND REMOVE THE HEATED WASHER FLUID MODULE. AN UPDATED PAGE FOR THE OWNER MANUAL WILL BE PROVIDED AND INSERTED IN THE OWNER MANUAL TO DOCUMENT THAT THE FEATURE HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 AND HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM."

My guess is that this issue was serious enough, and had enough fire incidents resulting from it, that dealers were obligated to make this change, but I have not been able to verify whether this is part of the law or not.

It is very, very unusual for the remedy to a fault to be having something "permanently disabled and removed," if any type of replacement with OEM parts is feasible and safe.

Brian

[cadillacjeff7777]

Information on any and all recalls can be found at the NHTSA website. The safety recall related to this heater is rather exceptional in that there were two successive recalls, the first in an attempt to fix what was thought to be the underlying issue and a second after the fix was found to make matters worse. It's also interesting to see that the second recall states (caps are theirs, I'm not trying to yell): "A RECALL WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2008 TO ADD A FUSE TO THE CONTROL CIRCUIT HARNESS TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) ELECTRICAL SHORT. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN NEW REPORTS OF THERMAL INCIDENTS ON HWFS MODULES AFTER THIS IMPROVEMENT WAS INSTALLED. THESE INCIDENTS RESULTED FROM A NEW FAILURE MODE ATTRIBUTED TO THE DEVICE'S THERMAL PROTECTION FEATURE. THE SIGNIFICANCE VARIES FROM MINOR DISTORTION TO CONSIDERABLE MELTING OF THE PLASTIC AROUND THE HWFS FLUID CHAMBER.

CONSEQUENCE:

IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR."

It goes on further to state:

"REMEDY:

DEALERS WILL PERMANENTLY DISABLE AND REMOVE THE HEATED WASHER FLUID MODULE. AN UPDATED PAGE FOR THE OWNER MANUAL WILL BE PROVIDED AND INSERTED IN THE OWNER MANUAL TO DOCUMENT THAT THE FEATURE HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 AND HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM."

My guess is that this issue was serious enough, and had enough fire incidents resulting from it, that dealers were obligated to make this change, but I have not been able to verify whether this is part of the law or not.

It is very, very unusual for the remedy to a fault to be having something "permanently disabled and removed," if any type of replacement with OEM parts is feasible and safe.

Brian

I guess that this still doesn't answer how I can mount this thing.

[Texas Jim]

I have this Alphatherm heater that I ordered but it did not come with a mounting bracket. There is no mounting braket left by the rogue dealership. Does anyone know how I can mount this thing?

Call Alphatherm and get the bracket... they may even send it to you free.

[guyslp]

I guess that this still doesn't answer how I can mount this thing.

Sorry, I still haven't gotten used to the way this forum doesn't take you to the end of a multi-page thread to the latest post. I had entirely missed page 2.

Brian

[cadillacjeff7777]

I guess that this still doesn't answer how I can mount this thing.

Sorry, I still haven't gotten used to the way this forum doesn't take you to the end of a multi-page thread to the latest post. I had entirely missed page 2.

Brian

It's all good.