Reference · GM bulletin 23-NA-154 · NHTSA 11000575
GM's warranty audit checklist, as 53 rules
Warranty Administration – Required Operating Procedures – 8 Points (U.S. Only), May 2024, applies to BrightDrop, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC model years 2015–2025. GM filed it with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5, which is how it is public. We read it into one rule per requirement, each with the sentence it comes from and the page it is on. This is the checklist the audit runs.
Bulletin content © General Motors, quoted for compliance reference. This page is not the bulletin; dealers should read the current edition in GlobalConnect. Audit Shield is not affiliated with GM.
Fits on a few pages. Pin it by the warranty desk.
1 Authorization · 6 rules
| Rule | Requirement | Threshold | Bulletin text |
|---|---|---|---|
| gm154-01 p.1 | Customer authorization must be obtained at initial write-up and before any repair is performed | “Authorization must be obtained at initial write-up and prior to any repairs being performed.” | |
| gm154-02 p.1 | An authorization-to-perform-repairs statement must appear on every job card | “An authorization to perform repairs statement must be included on every job card.” | |
| gm154-03 p.1 | Customer must receive a copy of the initial write-up | “Customer must be provided a copy of the initial write-up document.” | |
| gm154-04 p.2 | If no acceptable customer authorization can be obtained, service management must state the reason and sign the authorization line before repairs | “must state the reason and sign on the authorization line on the job card, prior to any repairs being performed” | |
| gm154-05 p.2 | Warranty work on dealer-owned inventory needs service management signature on the job card before repair (PDIs and required field actions excluded) | “service management is to sign the job card authorizing the work prior to repair” | |
| gm154-06 p.2 | Electronic signatures must be transferred to the pre-write-up worksheet or job card and then deleted | “E-signatures must be transferred to the pre-write up worksheet or job card and subsequently deleted.” |
2 Management approvals · 13 rules
| Rule | Requirement | Threshold | Bulletin text |
|---|---|---|---|
| gm154-07 p.2 | A service management approval consists of signature or initials, date, time and explanation | “Service management approval in the form of a signature (or initials), date, time and explanation” | |
| gm154-08 p.2 | An added operation must be inspected and verified by service management before it is added to the job card, with customer authorization before the work | “Must be first inspected and verified by service management before it is added to the job card.” | |
| gm154-09 p.3 | Other Labor Hours (Auth Code E) require service management approval before the first transaction submission; management is responsible for reasonableness | “Service management is responsible for reasonableness of OLH requested” | |
| gm154-10 p.3 | A repeat repair (Auth Code R) needs management determination that it is GM responsibility and not a result of earlier improper dealer workmanship or diagnosis | “not a result of previous improper dealer workmanship or diagnosis” | |
| gm154-11 p.6 | Straight time above 2 hours must be authorized by service management before the first transaction submission | 2 hours | “Straight Time more than 2 hours must be authorized by service management prior to the first transaction submission.” |
| gm154-12 p.3 | A policy adjustment more than $500 beyond the Policy Evaluation Tool result needs pre-approval via the Aftersales Empowerment Portal | $500 | “If the amount requested is more than $500 beyond the Policy Evaluation Tool result, pre-approval is required” |
| gm154-13 p.4 | Customer reimbursements over $1,000 must be routed to the Warranty Support Center for GM authorization at transaction submission | $1,000 | “Customer Reimbursements over $1000” |
| gm154-14 p.3 | A loaner of 10 or more days requires a day-by-day summary of loaner and repair status, with part and case numbers when applicable | 10 days | “A day-by-day summary of the loaner and repair status must be provided.” |
| gm154-15 p.3 | Using a non-GM part on a GM-covered repair requires wholesale pre-approval before repair | “Use of a Non-GM Part for” | |
| gm154-16 p.4 | Before any policy repair on a vehicle with an aftermarket service contract, management must validate the repair is not covered by that contract | “Service Management must validate that repair is not covered by an active service contract.” | |
| gm154-17 p.4 | Tire replacements over 12,000 miles need WSC authorization and must carry the proration amount | 12,000 miles | “Tire Replacements over 12,000 Miles” |
| gm154-18 p.4 | Technicians, dispatchers, warranty administrators, support or hourly staff may not be empowered to give management approvals | “Service technicians, dispatchers, warranty administrators, other support, or hourly personnel are not to be empowered for these types of management approvals.” | |
| gm154-19 p.4 | Transactions whose records do not support them may be debited even if previously authorized | “If your records do not support your transactions, the transactions may be debited, even if previously authorized” |
3 Concern/Cause/Correction · 6 rules
| Rule | Requirement | Threshold | Bulletin text |
|---|---|---|---|
| gm154-20 p.4 | Job card concern must record the customer's own problem description; vague or coded descriptions such as 'repair oil leak' or 'engine stalls' are not acceptable | “Vaguely written job card descriptions such as "repair oil leak," "engine stalls,"” | |
| gm154-21 p.5 | The technician must document all DTCs, test readings, before/after measurements and specifications on the shop copy of the job card; coded descriptions are not acceptable | “The technician must document on the shop copy of the job card all on-board diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs)” | |
| gm154-22 p.5 | Battery replacements require the test result printout attached to the job card | “Battery replacements require the test result print out to be attached to the job card.” | |
| gm154-23 p.5 | All diagnostic time claimed must be substantiated by the technician's comments | “All diagnostic time claimed must be substantiated by the technician's comments.” | |
| gm154-24 p.5 | Correction must detail the steps taken; vague comments such as 'replaced engine' or 'turned rotors' are not acceptable | “Vague comments, such as replaced engine, turned rotors, etc. are not acceptable.” | |
| gm154-25 p.5 | When a module is reprogrammed the SPS Warranty Claim Code must be documented on the job card and entered on the transaction | “the Warranty Claim Code provided from SPS when programming is complete” |
4 Labor time · 5 rules
| Rule | Requirement | Threshold | Bulletin text |
|---|---|---|---|
| gm154-26 p.5 | OLH requires separate, distinguishable on/off punches on the technician's time ticket for each labor operation with OLH | “Separate on/off time punches are required on the technician's time ticket for the OLH time claimed” | |
| gm154-27 p.5 | Punching on/off physical job cards does not meet timekeeping requirements | “Punching on/off physical job cards does not meet technician timekeeping requirements and is noncompliant and unacceptable.” | |
| gm154-28 p.5 | Technician inefficiency or lack of training does not justify OLH; OLH is not an extension of base time | “Technician inefficiency or lack of training is not sufficient justification for OLH.” | |
| gm154-29 p.5 | Phone time with call-center technical support cannot be charged to OLH, diagnostic or straight time | “Phone time with call center technical support activity cannot be charged to OLH, Diagnostic, or Straight Time.” | |
| gm154-30 p.6 | Diagnostic/add time above the published variable allowance is treated as OLH and must be approved and documented as such | “Diagnostic/add time claimed above the variable published allowance shall be treated as OLH” |
5 Technician time accounting · 4 rules
| Rule | Requirement | Threshold | Bulletin text |
|---|---|---|---|
| gm154-31 p.6 | Variable diagnosis time, straight time and OLH must each have individual on/off punch times on the time ticket by job card line | “must have individual and specific on/off punch times on the technician's time ticket by job card line” | |
| gm154-32 p.6 | A technician may not be clocked on two or more job cards at once when using variable diagnosis, OLH or straight time | “Technicians may not be clocked on two or more (multiple) job cards at the same time when utilizing variable diagnosis, OLH, or straight time.” | |
| gm154-33 p.6 | Technicians who exclusively perform oil changes, tire rotations or MPI services are waived from individual time requirements | “Technicians who exclusively perform oil changes/tire rotations/MPI services are waived from individual time requirements.” | |
| gm154-34 p.6 | With a broken time clock, service management must write actual start and stop times on the ticket and sign or initial it per job card | “Service management must write the actual start and stop time(s) on the technician time ticket.” |
6 Warranty parts · 10 rules
| Rule | Requirement | Threshold | Bulletin text |
|---|---|---|---|
| gm154-35 p.6 | Retained warranty parts must be identified with the job card number | “Warranty parts retained must be identified with the job card number.” | |
| gm154-36 p.6 | Warranty parts must be retained for inspection at least 7 days after receipt of claim payment | 7 days | “retain all warranty parts for inspection for a minimum of 7 days after receipt of claim payment” |
| gm154-37 p.6 | 12-volt batteries must be retained for 7 days | 7 days | “12-volt batteries must be retained for 7 days.” |
| gm154-38 p.6 | Field action parts may be scrapped on receipt of claim payment unless a return request is received | “Service Agents may scrap field action parts upon receipt of claim payment unless a return request is received.” | |
| gm154-39 p.6 | Warranty/policy parts may never be sold for salvage or installed on any vehicle | “Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES are warranty/policy parts to be sold for salvage value” | |
| gm154-40 p.7 | Tires not returned to the manufacturer must be rendered unusable with a hole of at least one inch in the sidewall | 1 inch | “cutting a hole in the tire sidewall of at least one inch in diameter” |
| gm154-41 p.7 | Warranty core parts (except ESC) must be retained 72 hours beyond receipt of the Transaction Summary showing credit | 72 hours | “must be retained for 72 hours beyond receipt of the Transaction Summary showing credit” |
| gm154-42 p.7 | If no WPC return request arrives within 72 hours, the core must be shipped to the CCA Core Return Center within 21 days | 21 days | “shipped to the CCA Core Return Center within 21 days” |
| gm154-43 p.7 | Cores returned to the CCA Core Return Center before a WPC part request will be debited | “Core parts that are returned to the CCA Core Return Center prior to WPC parts request(s) will be debited.” | |
| gm154-44 p.7 | Electronic Service Center parts should be returned to the ESC within 30 days to receive core credit | 30 days | “Electronic Service Center (ESC) parts should be returned to the ESC within 30 days to receive core credit.” |
7 Sublet · 4 rules
| Rule | Requirement | Threshold | Bulletin text |
|---|---|---|---|
| gm154-45 p.7 | Sublet reimbursement is limited to the lower of the actual sublet invoice or the dealer's comparable allowance at its parts and labor allowances and published GM labor times | “Sublet repair reimbursement is limited to the lower of the actual sublet invoice or the Service Agent's comparable allowance” | |
| gm154-46 p.7 | Discounts or allowances on the sublet invoice must also be applied to the sublet reimbursement | “Any discounts or allowances applied to the sublet invoice or made available to the Service Agent must be also applied to the sublet reimbursement amount.” | |
| gm154-47 p.7 | A sublet repair must not be shown on a warranty transaction as a dealer-performed repair; body-shop work is claimed as labor and parts, not sublet | “Sublet repairs must not be shown on a warranty transaction as a Service Agent performed repair.” | |
| gm154-48 p.7 | Sublet invoices must carry the VIN, repair date, full description and the sublet shop's name, address and contact, and be attached to the job card | “Sublet invoices must contain the customers VIN, date of repair and a complete description of repairs performed” |
8 Add-on concerns · 5 rules
| Rule | Requirement | Threshold | Bulletin text |
|---|---|---|---|
| gm154-49 p.7 | A concern not raised by the customer at write-up must be inspected and verified by the service manager before it is added to the job card | “must be first inspected and verified by the service manager before it is added to the job card” | |
| gm154-50 p.8 | The customer must be contacted for permission before add-on work, and the date and time of that permission documented on the job card | “The date and time the customer provided permission must also be documented on the job card.” | |
| gm154-51 p.8 | Service manager approval precedes customer approval; each is a separate dated and timed event | “Service manager approval precedes customer approval.” | |
| gm154-52 p.8 | Warranty concerns arising from multi-point inspections are treated as added customer concerns regardless of date | “subsequent warranty customer concerns based on multi-point vehicle inspections are considered added customer concerns” | |
| gm154-53 p.8 | Adding lines for safety, emissions and non-compliance recalls on dealer-owned inventory needs no service manager approval, but punch-time rules still apply to OLH, diagnostic or straight time | “Technician punch time requirements still apply when using OLH, Diagnostic, or Straight Time.” |
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