ASTON MARTIN CLIENT SERVICES

SAFETY RECALL ACTION
Reference number:

RA-01-1327

Issued: 21 November, 2019

Subject:

Incorrect Installation of the Passenger Airbag

Model(s):

DB11, Vantage (19MY), DBS Superleggera

VIN Range:

Refer to the separately published list of Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs)

Applicable to:

All Dealers

Distribute to:

After Sales Manager
Executive Manager
Service Manager
Sales Manager

Warranty Staff
Technician(s)
Parts Staff

Attached Documents:
•

Appendix A - Table that Shows the Quantities of Affected Vehicles

•

Appendix B - Copy of the Owner Notification letter for vehicles in RA-01-1327

•

Appendix C - Copy of the Change of Keeper or Address form.

Reason for this Safety Recall Action (NHTSA Reference 19V-806)
Aston Martin has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on some DB11, Vantage and DBS
Superleggera models manufactured between August 2017 and December 2018.
On the affected vehicles, it is possible the locking nuts that attach the passenger airbag to the instrument panel (IP) are
not torqued to the correct specification.
To correct this problem, do the Workshop Procedure given in this document to inspect the locking nuts, and if necessary,
make sure they are torqued correctly.
The full list of VINs for the affected vehicles are attached to this Safety Recall Action document.

PLEASE DO A CHECK OF ALL VEHICLES THAT ARE IN THE AFFECTED VIN LIST
Legal Requirements
The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, as amended, provides that each vehicle which is subject to a recall
campaign of this type must be adequately repaired within a reasonable time after the owner has tendered it for repair.
Failure to repair within sixty (60) days after tender of a vehicle is prima facie evidence of failure to repair within a
reasonable time.
If the condition is not adequately repaired within a reasonable time, the owner may be entitled to an identical or
reasonable equivalent vehicle at no charge, or to a refund of the purchase price less a reasonable allowance for
depreciation.
To avoid having to provide these difficult solutions, every effort must be made to promptly schedule an appointment with
each owner and to repair their vehicle as soon as possible. As you will see in reading the attached copies of the letters
that are being sent to Owners, the Owners are being instructed to contact Aston Martin Customer Service if their Dealer
does not correct the condition within three (3) days of the mutually agreed upon service date. If the condition is not
corrected within a reasonable time, they are instructed on how to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration.

IMPORTANT: We remind you that it can be a violation of Section 30120(i) of the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Act required under this notice if a Dealer sells or leases a vehicle that is covered by this notice
without first completing the repair.

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SAFETY RECALL ACTION

RA-01-1327

Communications
We will write to every owner directly to tell them about this Safety Recall Action. The customer letter and the “Change of
Keeper or Address” form will be attached to this Safety Recall Action.
When the Owner calls to make an appointment, briefly describe the repair which will be done to the Owner’s vehicle
and fully explain the reason for this work. Tell the owner that the repair will be done at no cost to them.

Service Reception Desk – Checks you must do before you book the vehicle in.
When you make a reservation for a Customer, please make sure that you confirm the name and contact details are
correct in Aston Martin’s records. To do this, please do the steps that follow:
Enter the vehicle’s 6-digit chassis number into DCS
(amdealers.com) and click “Validate”
(refer to Figure 1).

1.

Figure 1

2.

Make sure that the vehicle details are correct. If the current owner is correct, no action is necessary.

3.

Make sure that the Customer name is correct. If the data is correct, then no action is necessary.

4.

To update the Customer details, use the search
feature to find the customer in your Synergy
database (refer to Figure 2).

Figure 2

Note:

The Customer record and updated details must have been entered into Synergy before you try to transfer
the ownership in DCS.

5.

If the correct Customer shows, click “confirm”.

6.

If the correct Customer details do not show, click “add new”.

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SAFETY RECALL ACTION

RA-01-1327

Before you start work
Log on to the Online Dealer Warranty (ODW) system. Do the steps that follow:
7.

Select the Warranty Live screen (Outstanding Campaigns Status).

8.

Download the VIN list from DCS and do a check of the VINs in your control.

9.

Find out if there are other open Service Actions (SAs) or Recall Actions (RAs) for the vehicles in the list.
List the SAs and RAs and plan the work so that the Owner only needs to come to your Dealership once.

10.

Note:

The ODW system operates in real-time. Thus, the online condition shows only the newest Dealer
Warranty Claim submissions.

Workshop Procedure
This Workshop Procedure has two parts:
•

Part A: Inspection

•

Part B: Torque the Locking Nuts to the Correct Specification

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SAFETY RECALL ACTION

RA-01-1327

Part A: Inspection
Note:

A left-hand drive DB11 is illustrated. The same procedure applies to Vantage and DBS Superleggera.

1.

Remove the passenger side bottom panel for the IP (refer to Workshop Manual procedure 01.12.DV).

2.

Remove the two screws that attach the duct for the
door (refer to Figure 3).

Figure 3

3.

Remove the duct for the door (refer to Figure 4).

Figure 4

4.

Use a fibre-optic camera to inspect the seven locking
nuts that are accessible in the locations shown (refer to
Figure 5).
Note: There are eight locking nuts in total, but one
locking nut is not visible (refer to the red arrow).

Figure 5

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SAFETY RECALL ACTION
5.

RA-01-1327

If any of the locking nuts are not installed correctly
(refer to Figure 6) go to Part B: Torque the Locking
Nuts to the Correct Specification.

Figure 6

6.

If all the locking nuts have been installed correctly
(refer to Figure 7) go to step 7.

Figure 7

7.

Install the duct for the door (refer to Figure 4).

8.

Install the two screws that attach the duct for the door (refer to Figure 3).

9.

Install the passenger side bottom panel for the IP (refer to Workshop Manual procedure 01.12.DV).

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Part B: Torque the Locking Nuts to the Correct Specification
1.

Remove the front evaporator and heater assembly (refer to Workshop Manual procedure 12.03.AH).

WARNING:

IF A LOCKING NUT IS MISSING, INSTALL A NEW LOCKING NUT WITH THE PART NUMBER
GIVEN IN THE PART DATA. IF YOU DO NOT USE THE CORRECT PART, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE
AIRBAG WILL NOT BE ATTACHED CORRECTLY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT AND NOT
DEPLOY CORRECTLY.

2.

Torque the eight locking nuts that attach the passenger airbag to the IP to 6.5 Nm.

3.

Install the front evaporator and heater assembly (refer to Workshop Manual procedure 12.03.AH).
Note: Do not do Workshop Manual procedure 01.12.BK.

4.

Install the duct feed for the door (refer to Figure 4).

5.

Install the two screws that attach the duct feed for the door (refer to Figure 3).

6.

Install the right side end cover for the IP (refer to Workshop Manual procedure 01.12.BK).

Note:

New clips and fixings used to complete this procedure can be claimed for in the Warranty claim form.

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Part Data
Description
M6x1.00 Locking Nut

Part Number

Quantity

703163