Wheel Alignment Specifications, Requirements And Recommendations For Gm Vehicles (05-03-07-009H)

WHEEL ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS, REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GM VEHICLES

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN

PURPOSE

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide retail, wholesale and fleet personnel with General Motors' recommendations for customer concerns related to wheel alignment. For your convenience, this bulletin updates and centralizes all of GM's Standard Wheel Alignment Service Procedures, and bulletins on wheel alignment warranty service.

The following key steps are a summary of this bulletin and are REQUIRED in completing a successful wheel alignment service.

1. Verify the vehicle is in an Original Equipment condition  for curb weight, tires, wheels, suspension and steering configurations. Vehicles modified in any of these areas are not covered for wheel alignment warranty.
2. Review the customer concern relative to "Normal Operation"  definitions.
3. Document wheel alignment warranty claims  appropriately for labor operations 8070012 and 8070032. A copy of the alignment machine printout showing before and after alignment specifications must be attached to the job card. Please refer to Article 1.1.13 (1.4.19 Canada) of the Service Policies and Procedures for complete documentation requirements and labor operation restrictions for transactions involving wheel alignments, toe adjustments and wheel balancing.

VERIFY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT CONDITION OF THE VEHICLE

• Verify that Original Equipment Tires and Wheels or Official GM Accessory Tires and Wheels are on the vehicle.
• Verify that aftermarket suspension "Lift" or "Lowering" Kits or other suspension alterations have NOT been done to the vehicle.
• Check for accidental damage to the vehicle; for example, severe pothole or curb impacts, collision damage that may have affected the wheel alignment of the vehicle; e.g., engine cradles, suspension control arms, axles, wheels, wheel covers, tires may show evidence of damage/impact.
• Check to be sure vehicle has seen "Normal Use" rather than abuse; e.g., very aggressive driving may show up by looking at the tires and condition of the vehicle.
• Check for other additional equipment items that may significantly affect vehicle mass such as large tool boxes, campers, snow plow packages (without the snowplow RPO), etc., especially in trucks and cutaway/incomplete vehicles. Significant additional mass can affect trim height and wheel alignment of the vehicle and may necessitate a customer pay wheel alignment when placed semi-permanently in the vehicle (Upfitter instructions are to realign the vehicle after placement of these types of items. (This typically applies to trucks and incomplete vehicles that can be upfit with equipment such as the above.)

CUSTOMER CONCERNS AND "NORMAL OPERATION" CONDITIONS

Possible Concerns 

The following are typical conditions that may require wheel alignment warranty service:

1. Lead/Pull:  defined as "at a constant highway speed on a typical straight road, the amount of effort required at the steering wheel to maintain the vehicle's straight heading."
   IMPORTANT:

   Please evaluate for the condition with hands-on the steering wheel. Follow the "Vehicle Leads/Pulls" diagnostic tree located in SI to determine the cause of a lead/pull concern. Lead/Pull concerns can be due to road crown or road slope, tires, wheel alignment or even in rare circumstances a steering gear issue. Lead/pull concerns due to road crown are considered "Normal Operation" and are NOT a warrantable condition -- the customer should be advised that this is "Normal Operation."