YES, WE KNOW THERE IS A BRAKE PAD RECALL

[buldog72]

Here is an open recall on the Sonic concerning the brake pads on 4800 that were shipped out...
Copyright 2011 General Motors. All Rights Reserved.
Recall Bulletin
File In Section:
Bulletin No.:
Date:
Product Recalls
11354
December 2011
PRODUCT SAFETY RECALL
SUBJECT: Front Brake Pad Missing
MODELS: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
CONDITION
General Motors has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in
certain 2012 model year Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. On some of these vehicles, the front
brake inner or outer pad may be missing. A missing pad could result in reduced brake
system performance, require a longer distance to stop the vehicle, and produce a noise when
the brakes are applied. If stopping distance is increased, a vehicle crash could occur.
CORRECTION
Dealers are to inspect the front brakes for missing inner or outer pads. If a brake pad is
missing on a vehicle in dealer inventory, dealers are to install new inner and outer pads and,
as necessary, install a new brake caliper assembly and/or brake rotor. If a brake pad is
missing on a vehicle delivered to the customer, dealers are to install new inner and outer
pads, a new brake caliper, and a new brake rotor.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
Involved are certain 2012 model year Chevrolet Sonic vehicles.
Important: Dealers are to confirm vehicle eligibility prior to beginning repairs by using the
Required Field Actions section in the Global Warranty system. Not all vehicles
may be involved.
For dealers with involved vehicles, a listing with involved vehicles containing the complete
vehicle identification number, customer name, and address information has been prepared
and will be provided to dealers through the GM GlobalConnect Recall Reports. Dealers will
not have a report available if they have no involved vehicles currently assigned.
The listing may contain customer names and addresses obtained from Motor Vehicle
Registration Records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any purpose other
than follow-up necessary to complete this recall is a violation of law in several
states/provinces/countries. Accordingly, you are urged to limit the use of this report to the
follow-up necessary to complete this recall.
Page 2 December 2011 Bulletin No.: 11354
PART INFORMATION
A very small number of vehicles are expected to require parts. If the inspection determines
that parts are required, they are to be obtained from General Motors Customer Care and
Aftersales (GMCC&A). Please refer to your “involved vehicles listing” before ordering parts.
Normal orders should be placed on a DRO = Daily Replenishment Order. In an emergency
situation, parts should be ordered on a CSO = Customer Special Order.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
1. Raise and support the vehicle. Refer to Lifting and Jacking the Vehicle in SI.
Note: Tire removal is not required to inspect for the inboard and outboard brake pads.
2. Determine if the inboard and outboard brake pads are present on both front wheels.
�� If the front inboard and outboard brake pads are present, no further action is required.
Note: Customer-owned vehicles require a caliper, rotor and pad replacement if pad(s) are
missing. Dealer Inventory vehicles require an inspection of the rotor and caliper if pad(s) are
missing. Replace only the damaged parts of the brake system.
�� If any of the front brake pads are not present, replace them and any other damaged
front brake system components. Refer to the appropriate brake system service
procedure in SI.
COURTESY TRANSPORTATION
The General Motors Courtesy Transportation program is intended to minimize customer
inconvenience when a vehicle requires a repair that is covered by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranties. The availability of courtesy transportation to customers whose vehicles are
within the warranty coverage period and involved in a product program is very important in
maintaining customer satisfaction. Dealers are to ensure that these customers understand
that shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation is available and will be
provided at no charge. Dealers should refer to the General Motors Service Policies and
Procedures Manual for Courtesy Transportation guidelines.
WARRANTY TRANSACTION INFORMATION
Submit a transaction using the table below.
Labor
Code Description
Labor
Time
Net
Item
V2526 Inspect Front Brake Pads - No Further Action Required 0.2 N/A
V2527 Inspect & Replace Brake Pad(s) (inc brake bleed) (vehicles
in dealer inventory)
1.0 N/A
Add: Replace Each Rotor 0.5
Add: Replace Each Caliper 0.7
V2528 Inspect & Replace Brake Pad(s), Rotor, Caliper (inc brake
system bleed) (customer vehicles)
1.8 N/A
Add: Replace Second Rotor & Caliper 1.2
Page 3 December 2011 Bulletin No.: 11354
CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION
General Motors will notify customers of this recall on their vehicle.

 

[buldog72]

DEALER RECALL RESPONSIBILITY – All
All unsold new vehicles in dealers' possession and subject to this recall must be held and
inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this recall bulletin before customers take
possession of these vehicles.
Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this recall at no charge to customers, regardless
of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward.
Customers who have recently purchased vehicles sold from your vehicle inventory, and for
which there is no customer information indicated on the dealer listing, are to be contacted by
the dealer. Arrangements are to be made to make the required correction according to the
instructions contained in this bulletin. Recall follow-up cards should not be used for this
purpose, since the customer may not as yet have received the notification letter.
In summary, whenever a vehicle subject to this recall enters your vehicle inventory, or is in
your dealership for service in the future, you must take the steps necessary to be sure the
recall correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.
GM bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, NOT a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform these technicians of
conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained
technicians have the tools, equipment, safety instructions, and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, DO NOT
assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See your dealer for information on whether your
vehicle may benefit from the information.
We Support
Voluntary
Technician
Certification
Page 4 December 2011 Bulletin No.: 11354
January 2012
Dear General Motors Customer:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and
Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
General Motors has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in
certain 2012 model year Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. As a result, GM is conducting a safety
recall. We apologize for this inconvenience. However, we are concerned about your safety
and continued satisfaction with our products.
I M P OR T A N T
Your vehicle is involved in safety recall 11354.
Schedule an appointment with your GM dealer.
This service will be performed for you at no charge.
Why is your
vehicle being
recalled?
The front brake inner or outer pad may be missing. A missing pad
could result in reduced brake system performance, require a longer
distance to stop the vehicle, and produce a noise when the brakes
are applied. If stopping distance is increased, a vehicle crash could
occur.
What will we
do?
Your GM dealer will inspect the front brakes for a missing inner or
outer pad. If a brake pad is missing, your dealer will install new
inner and outer pads, a new brake caliper, and a new rotor. This
service will be performed for you at no charge.
Because of service scheduling requirements, it is likely that your
dealer will need your vehicle longer than the actual inspection time
of approximately 15 minutes. If any of the brake pads are missing,
another 1 hour and 50 minutes to 3 hours will be required.
If your vehicle is within the New Vehicle Limited Warranty, your
dealer may provide you with shuttle service or some other form of
courtesy transportation while your vehicle is at the dealership for
this repair. Please refer to your Owner Manual and your dealer for
details on courtesy transportation.
What should
you do?
You should contact your GM dealer to arrange a service
appointment as soon as possible.
Do you have
questions?
If you have questions or concerns that your dealer is unable to
resolve, please contact the appropriate Customer Assistance
Center at the number listed below.
Page 5 December 2011 Bulletin No.: 11354
Division Number Text Telephones
(TTY)
Chevrolet 1-800-222-1020 1-800-833-2438
Guam 65-6267-1752
Puerto Rico – English 1-800-496-9992
Puerto Rico – Español 1-800-496-9993
Virgin Islands 1-800-496-9994
If after contacting your dealer and the Customer Assistance Center, you are still not satisfied
we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge and within a reasonable time,
you may wish to write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200
New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington DC 20590, or call the toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at
1.888.327.4236 (TTY 1.800.424.9153), or go to Home | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Federal regulation requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a
copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days.
Jim Moloney
General Director,
Customer and Relationship Services
GM Recall #11354

 

[buldog72]

I have the list of 4800 vin's so if you want to PM yours I will check it agains the list.

 

[Sonic Boomer]

While there is a lot to be said for automation, a case can be made for havine a thinking person involved in the process. I wonder how many days cars were assembled using a caliper assembly which didn't have both pads?
I'll bet these were boxed at a suppliers facility with the disposition to rework when they got more pads in, then some warehouse guy shipped them out unaware.
There will be some heads rolling over that one.

 

[dvn]

Aren't these things driven off the line? How could they possibly miss that??? You HAVE to be able to feel a missing brake pad!

 

[Beastly]

Reuters was a bit late posting this exact news. Buldog's post of the pad recall would be a great sticky.

 

[buldog72]

It helps to work at a Chevy store!

 

[Mike-NH]

Chevy puts out APB on missing Sonic brake pads, issues recall

Before anyone panics, only 20-30 cars actually have the problem. They only know the range of VINs they're in though, hence the recall. You'd think someone would notice funny braking noises and such if they were missing a brake pad. And it wouldn't suprise me if a few of these got caught at dealer prep too.

 

[Eric Smit]

You can just call the dealership, have them check your vin, and then go from there.

 

[Sonic]

I split these posts out into this new thread that shows up in plain sight when someone searches "brake recall". Hopefully this eliminates all the reposting that has started happening.

And to clarify, I made the thread title, not buldog.

 

[buldog72]

thanks for clarifying!

 

[AndrewGS]

Jalopnik and the other auto sites are already garnering comments and laughs over the issue. My aunt even texted me about it this afternoon.

 

[MADNESS]

20-30 cars out of the thousands that have been built it not really a big deal. but I have to admit the negative comments on some of the sites are making me think twice about ordering the contrainted LTZ 6 speed Manual Turbo.

 

[Sonic]

If something like this and negative comments on the internet are making you change your mind, then you weren't really serious about buying one in the first place. Problems happen with ALL makes and models of cars. It's what recalls and your warranty are for.

 

[MADNESS]

If something like this and negative comments on the internet are making you change your mind, then you weren't really serious about buying one in the first place. Problems happen with ALL makes and models of cars. It's what recalls and your warranty are for.

cool

 

[buldog72]

If something like this and negative comments on the internet are making you change your mind, then you weren't really serious about buying one in the first place. Problems happen with ALL makes and models of cars. It's what recalls and your warranty are for.

It's called passion!

 

[Alan]

Funny thing is there are some people going apes--t over this on FB giving an anti-American car tone as if this is what you get when you buy American. Apparently an oversight on 20-30 cars is worse than the Toyota issue from a few years back. I think we all remember that one...an engineering issue that lead to deaths, injuries, Toyota dragging their feet to resolve the issue, etc.

 

[Sonic]

Good point Alan.

 

[jlslatton]

So we had a user report this post as having infringed on GM's copyright. Can anyone expand on this?

 

[Eric Smit]

So we had a user report this post as having infringed on GM's copyright. Can anyone expand on this?

I can't quite describe the intensity of the facepalm that I just did, so here is a picture.

-Eric Smit