Document 50L0BV5k5xQv7g8KQE4z9joR8

FILE NAME: Chrysler (CHRY) DATE: 1988 June 23 DOC#: CHRY091 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letter to Alamo Rent a Car RE Vehicles Manufactured Since 1986 Which Contain Asbestos in the Brake Linings /-S 'ft.c7 C S /' S (*[3& DC 5626 ttn iw I SSffiST DATI: F A H R MESSACI TO: ffVK PHONE: NOTIFIED: (& ~ / \r(& A . TIME: FROM: PHONE: B ot3 A rz rJCy-C^ Lo - Z Q 4 SUBJECT: / ^ / 9/VtQ C - e = T T g > C *-> >At rJiMp- L <S O F S tJi-N C cF S U l/ A S S e S T S e A K G L t iJ it f S DC 5627 ChrytrMotorCorpo-- tiaw ^C V MC June 23, 1988 Alamo R u t A Car P.0. Box 22776 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33335 Attention: G. Brian Cox Warranty Operations Manager Dear Mr. Cox: I an responding to your letter to Mr. Dave Trainor inquiring about manufactured since 1986 which contain asbestos in the brake linings. you asked about American Motors vehicles, I am expanding our response all Chrysler Motors vehicles, including those manufactured by the former Motors Corporation (AMC). vehicles Although to cover American We have been working to reduce or eliminate the use of asbestos friction materials in our product line for a number of years. Our experience-shows that the development of substitute materials is a very difficult and time consuming task. Some of the problems that we have encountered with asbestos substitute materials include inconsistent front-to-rear brake balance during repeated brake applications and during the life of the vehicle, unsatisfactory disc brake rotor scoring, cracking of the linings, unacceptable noise generation and an inability to meet our Corporate minimum brake lining life goal. Over the years, consumers have developed the expectation that vehicle brake systems will provide safe, reliable, noise-free performance during many miles of operation under all types of driving conditions with minimal maintenance. Because brake performance is so important to vehicle safety, new asbestos-free brake lining compounds and formulations must be developed to meet these same objectives. There can be no compromise by a premature switch to substitute materials. While some substitute materials that meet the above criteria have been developed and we are constantly pressuring our suppliers to produce more candidate materials, there is still much more work to be done before asbestos pads and linings can be totally eliminated. ") in answer to your specific question, since 1986 we have produced the following vehicle applications with asbestos-free brake linings: Model Year 1987,1988 1987,1988 1987,1988 1987,1988 Vehicle Lina Dodge Daytona Pacifica Dodge Daytona Shelby Z Dodge Grand Caravan SE Dodge Grand Caravan LE (front disc with 6 or 8 passenger seating package or heavy duty susptniion) it ii D etroit M l . DC 5628 Pag 2 Modal Year Vahid Lina 1987,1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987 1988 1988 1988 1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 Plymouth Grand Voyagar SE (front disc with 6 or 8 passenger . seating package or heavy duty Plymouth Grand Voyagar LE Dodga Mini Ram Van suspension) II H (front disc with 2000# pay load and heavy duty suspension) Renault GTA (front disc) Eagla Premier Chrysler New Yorker Dodge Dakota (optional rear disc) (10" rear drum) Dodge Dakota Sport " " Dodge Power Ram 250 Pickup (front disc) with Sno-Commander package Dodge Ram 350 Pickup with dual rear wheels Dodge Power Ram 350 Pickup Jeep Grand Wagoneer Since 1986 we have produced the following vehicle with asbestos-free friction materials .'mounted contained asbestos: - front disc brake applications on underlayer material which Model Year Vehicle Line Model Year Vehicle Line 1987.1988 1987 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 Plymouth Horizon Plymouth Turismo Plymouth Sundance Plymouth Reliant Plymouth Caravelle Dodge Omni Dodge Charger Dodge Shadow Dodge Aries Dodge Lancer Dodge Daytona'1' Dodge 600 Dodge Dynasty Chrysler LaBaron Chrysler Town & Country Chrysler LaBaron GTS Chrysler New Yorker 1987 1987 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 1987.1988 Renault Alliance Renault Encore Dodge Caravan Plymouth Voyager Dodge Grand Caravanu ; Plymouth Grand V o y a g e r ^ Dodge Mini-Ram Van Dodge Dakota Dodge Ramcharger Dodge Ram Wagon Dodge Ram Van Dodge Ram Pickups^-*' Jeep Comanche Jeep Cherokee Jeep Wagoneer Jeep Wrangler Notes: (1) Except the Pacifica and Shelby Z lines listed in asbestos-free (2) S 5 t * S T ' s i 1 U application, llatad in aabto.-fr.. group (3) Zzeapt tha thraa pickup front diae asbestos-free group above. application, liatad in DC 5629 Pag 3 All othr application in vehicles built by AMC and Chrysler hav brake linings containing aabeato*. - We believe that the concern for handling brake lining material containing asbestos in servic applications have been reduced with the elimination of reauirements for grinding replacement linings. Nevertheless, we are continuing to search for and develop acceptable asbestos-free materials for other brake lining applications. We plan to put asbestos-free brake lining materials into every vehicle we manufacture if and when we are convinced that the asbestos-free material provides acceptable braking performance. We urge you to follow the procedures outlined in our most recent service manuals when replacing brake linings on your vehicles. Sincerely, RSA/ma CC: B. Dunn D. Trainor B. R. Smith Manager, Fleet Engineering DC 5630