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Instrument Panel Cluster EXTENDED WARRANTY

STEPHEN D

Full Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2006
Messages
116
I just received this letter in the mail from GM:

Dear STEPHEN D

As the owner of a 2004 model year Chevrolet Avalanche, your satisfaction with our product is very important to us.

This letter is intended to make you aware that your vehicle could develop a condition where one or more of the instrument panel gauge needles may stick, flutter, or become inoperative.? This may cause inaccurate readings, including the speedometer and the fuel gauge.

Do not take your vehicle to your GM dealer as a result of this letter unless you believe that your vehicle has this condition.

What We Have Done:? General Motors is providing owners with a special coverage that extends the warranty on the instrument panel cluster for the condition described above.? If this condition occurs on your 2004 model year Chevrolet Avalanche with 7 years of the date your vehicle was originally placed in service or 70,000 miles, whichever occurs first, the condition will be repaired for you at no charge.

What You Should Do:? Repairs and adjustments qualifying under this special coverage must be performed by a General Motors dealer.? If you believe your vehicle has this condition, contact your Chevrolet dealer to schedule an appointment at a time that is convenient for you.? Your dealer will inspect the vehicle and if the condition is found, your dealer will replace the instrument panel cluster.? When calling your dealer, please have your 17 character vehicle identification number (VIN) handy so your dealer can ensure the cluster will be available on your appointment date, if needed.? Your dealer will also need the mileage on your vehicle.? Keep this letter with your other important glove box literature for future reference.

Reimbursement:? The enclosed form explains what reimbursement is available and how to request reimbursement if you have paid for repairs for the special coverage condition.

If you have any questions or need any assistance, just contact your dealer or the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center between the hours of 8:00AM and 11:00PM, EST, Monday through Friday.? They can be reached at 1.800.630.2438 (TTY 1.800.833.243:cool:.

We are sorry for any inconvience you may experience; however we have taken this action in the interest of your continued satisfaction with our products.

Scott Lawson
General Director,
Customer and Relationship Services
 
This is a known issue, GM has probably replaced thousands of them not only in the AV's.
It's the stepper motor in the clusters 
 
CUSTOMER REIMBURSEMENT PROCEDURE

If you have paid to have this condition corrected prior to this notification, you may be eligible to receive reimbursement.

Requests for the reimbursement may include parts, labor, fees and taxes. ?Reimbursement may be limited to the amount the repair would have cost if completed by an authorized dealer.

Your claim will be acted upon with 60 days of receipt.

If you claim is:
  • Approved, you will receive a check,
  • Denied, you will receive a letter with the reason(s) for the denial, or
  • Incomplete, you will receive a letter identifying the documentation that is needed to complete the claim and offered the opportunity to resubmit the claim when the missing documentation is available.

Please follow the instructions of the Claim Form provided on the reverse side to file a claim for reimbursement. ?If you have any qeustions or need assistance, please contact the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center at 1.800.630.2438 (TTY 1.800.833.243:cool:.
 
DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME

Here's mine about two years ago:

pegged.jpg
 
Pretty sure it covers all Full sized GM trucks, they all had the same clusters.
 
My guess is they started with the 04 and going up. I'm on my third one
 
It took that long for Delphi to get out of bankruptcy and Agree to pay GM 6 million dollars to cover it.
 
I just got the letter today.  I haven't had any problems yet, but how does this start?  For those of you that have had the problem, is it something that happens over time or is it abrupt??
 
billtrudeau said:
I just got the letter today. ? I haven't had any problems yet, but how does this start?? For those of you that have had the problem, is it something that happens over time or is it abrupt??

Mine just did it tonight.   I was cruising down the highway at 70mph and exited on the off ramp.   Stopped at the bottom of the ramp and started going again and speedometer said I was going 120+ MPH and the Tachometer is stuck at 40,000 + RPM.   So for me it happened all of a sudden.
 
You won't even notice till you look down at it.
 
Found this bulletin that was sent to GM dealerships at the end of September. ? This may help speed up the process. ? When calling for warranty work I would reference the bulletin number.

GM PARTS BULLETINS & INFORMATION - TO CADILLAC, CHEVROLET AND GMC DEALERS
Subject:Bulletin GMP07-174 - Special Coverage Adjustment #07187? Instrument Panel Cluster Gauge Needle FunctionMessage #:VSU20071575
? DESCRIPTION:
SPECIAL COVERAGE Adjustment #07187? SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

DUE TO PART AVAILABILITY, THIS SPECIAL COVERAGE IS BEING ADMINISTERED IN PHASES. ?YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED AS EACH ADDITIONAL PHASE IS RELEASED. ?

CUSTOMERS ARE BEING INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP TO ARRANGE AN APPOINTMENT IF THEY BELIEVE THEIR VEHICLE HAS THIS CONDITION. ?THE CUSTOMER IS BEING ASKED TO PROVIDE THE VIN SO THE IPC CAN BE ORDERED IN ADVANCE OF THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT. ?THIS WILL ELIMINATE THE NEED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT. ?
o Some customers of 2003-2004 model year Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Sierra, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles have reported that the instrument panel (IP) cluster gauges stick, flutter, or become inoperative. ?This may cause inaccurate readings, including the speedometer and fuel gauge. ?
o This special coverage covers the condition described above for a period of 7 years or 70,000 miles (110,000 km), whichever occurs first, from the date the vehicle was originally placed in service, regardless of ownership. ?
o Refer to Special Coverage Adjustment #07187 for further information

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Initial owner mailing is scheduled to begin: Phase 1 9-28-07


GENERAL INFORMATION:
Instrument panel clusters (IPC) required to complete this special coverage are to be obtained from the Electronic Service Centers. ?Refer to GM Service Policies and Procedures Manual, section 1. 5. 9, for specific procedures. ?To eliminate keeping the customer's vehicle overnight, customers are being told to contact the dealership to arrange a service appointment and to supply their VIN. ?Dealers are to pre-order the IPC identifying the part from the Electronic Parts Catalog using the VIN filter so it will be at the dealership on the day of the scheduled appointment. ?
o 1. ?The customer will contact the dealership to arrange an appointment and provide their VIN. ?
2. ?Contact a GM Authorized Electronic Service Center to order an exchange and arrange for delivery of the pre-exchange product. ?
3. ?All units will be shipped FedEx Ground. ?
4. ?After removal of the defective unit, return the defective core to the Electronic Service Center using the supplied pre-paid Automatic Return shipping (ARS) label. ?
5. ?Failure to return the product within 30 days to the Electronic Service Center will result in a charge to the Dealer's Open Parts Account. ?

 
The wife had this replaced while I was in Iraq, going out to the truck to get my receipt and wait for my letter. :D
 
Here is what the wife took the Ava in for:
-Speedo inop and erratic,
-IAN-Customer to pay deductible 100.00
-Faulty IPC -04-08-49-015A
-Replace IPC
Milage at the time was 49,760
Do I stand a chance to get my hundred bucks back? :needhug:
 
I got a letter today, if your 2004 instrument panel gauges stick, flutter or become inoperative within 7 years or 70,000 miles GM will replace the intrstument cluster. I've heard of a few failed clusters here.

My cluster is fine and I got 4 years, 48,000 miles to go.
 
Dune said:
Mine went in my '03 with 60,000 miles.

Replaced under warranty (y)

I don't know if other than 2004 are involved but it's a proactive fix, don't take it in unless it's broken
 
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