Date: Sat, 23 Oct 1999 17:28:11 -0500
Reply-To: Joel Walker <jwalker@URONRAMP.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joel Walker <jwalker@URONRAMP.NET>
Subject: recall notice for air conditioning ducting, 86-91
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
well, i get this red-outlined envelope in the mail today, from
Volkswagen United States, Inc. <when did they change from Volkswagen of
America??>
1601 Clay Ave.
Detroit, MI 48211 <thought they were still in Auburn Hills or Sterling
Heights!??>
anyway, it says:
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September 1999
Dear Volkswagen Owner:
You may have been previously notified of the action addressed in the
attached notification
letter; however, our records indicate that your vehicle has not yet been
corrected. Please
contact your dealer and arrange for an appointment. The repair will, of
course, be free of
charge.
In the interest of safety we urge you to visit your dealer without delay.
Volkswagen of America, Inc. <so then who's VWUS,Inc. up above??>
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so why haven't i been to the dealers?? cause when my air conditioning
ducting fell down and hit me on the shoulder, VW wouldn't admit there was a
problem and wouldn't fix it. so i fixed it myself. a year or so later, they
came out with this recall. i'm not about to go to the bozo dealer here in
town and let him mess up my epoxy and aluminum sheet and FOUR screws fix! :)
but for those of you who are original owners (as i am) of your 1986 to 1991
buses, and have NOT had this recall done, or if you are 2nd owner (they want
to know if i've sold it and if so, to whom) and are pretty sure the fix has
not been done, here's the text of the notification letter:
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Volkswagen of America, Inc.
3800 Hamlin Road
Auburn Hills, MI 48326
Tel. (248) 340-5000
NOTIFICATION
February, 1994
Subject: Recall Campaign SU
Dear Volkswagen Owner:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the
National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Volkswagen has determined
that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some
1986 -1991 model Volkswagen Vanagon and Syncro vehicles equipped with
factory-installed air conditioning.
Our records show that your vehicle is affected by this voluntary recall
action.
DEFECT DESCRIPTION
Volkswagen has determined that operation of vehicles on rough roads could,
over time, cause breakage of the plastic mounting material used to attach
the air conditioning flow ducts to the roof. If this happens, the center air
flow duct could separate from its attachment and fall down, which could
cause injury to passengers sitting in the center seat of the vehicle. It
could also distract the driver.
REMEDY
Your Volkswagen service technician will secure the air flow ducts by
installing a reinforcement bracket. Brackets are available at Volkswagen
repair facilities.
YOUR ACTION
Please contact the Service Department of your authorized Volkswagen retailer
for an appointment to have the necessary work performed as soon as possible.
The repair will take less than one hour and will, of course, be free of
charge.
PRECAUTIONS
If you notice that the air flow duct mounted to the ceiling is loose, please
contact your authorized Volkswagen retailer immediately and make sure that
no passenger is seated in the center seat below the air duct until the
repair is performed.
SERVICE PROBLEM HELP
If your authorized Volkswagen retailer fails or is unable to remedy the
defect free of charge within a reasonable time, please call or write to:
Volkswagen United States, Inc.
Attn: Customer Relations 3F02-SU
3800 Hamlin Road
Auburn Hills, MI 48326-2855
Toll-free Telephone: (800) 822-8987
If you still cannot obtain satisfaction, you may file a complaint with:
Administrator
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
US Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590
Telephone: (800) 424-9393 (Washington, DC, area: 202-366-0123)
We regret any inconvenience this matter may cause; however, as part of our
commitment to ensure your safety and maintain your satisfaction with our
product, we would like to repair your vehicle as soon as possible.
Thank you for driving a Volkswagen.
Sincerely,
Andreas H. Steglich
Product Compliance Manager
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