Chevrolet Recall Information

NEWS:    GM recalls 944,000 vehicles for fire hazard

Recall involves vehicles that are equipped with windshield washer fluid heaters.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- August 28, 2008 -- General Motors is recalling 944,000 vehicles, 850,000 of them in the United States, because of the potential for a fire in the vehicles' heated windshield washer fluid system.

A short circuit in the circuit board that controls the system could cause a grounding wire to overheat. That could lead to smoke and the malfunctioning of other electrical components, GM (GM, Fortune 500) said in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In rare cases, it could cause a fire, GM said.

GM is aware of three fires caused by this problem, two of which were in the company's own test fleet vehicles, GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said. The company is not aware of any injuries caused by the problem.

The vehicles must be turned on for the short circuit to occur, Wilkinson said, but he could not say whether the washer fluid heating system needed to be in use.

The models listed below, if they're equipped with a heated windshield washer fluid system, are subject to the recall:

• Model year 2006-08 Buick Lucerne sedans and model year 2008 Buick Enclave SUVs.

• Model year 2006-08 Cadillac DTS sedans and model year 2007-08 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV and Escalade EXT SUVs.

• Model year 2007-08 Chevrolet Avalanche and Silverado trucks and Suburban and Tahoe SUVs.

• Model year 2007-08 GMC Acadia, Yukon, and Yukon XL SUVs and Sierra trucks.

• 2008 Saturn Outlook SUVs.

The fluid heating system is a popular option on many of GM's large cars and SUVs, said Wilkinson.

On cold days, the system heats windshield washer fluid before spraying it onto the windshield, where it can melt ice and frost on the windshield.

To fix the problem, dealers will install a fuse that will shut off the system in the event of a short circuit. GM has not yet provided NHTSA with a schedule detailing when owners of affected vehicles will be notified.

MORE RECALL INFORMATION:

• Buick Lucerne

• Buick Enclave

• Cadillac DTS

• Cadillac Escalade

• Chevrolet Avalanche

• Chevrolet Silverado

• Chevrolet Suburban

• Chevrolet Tahoe

• GMC Acadia

• GMC Sierra

• GMC Yukon

• Saturn Outlook

NEWS:    NHTSA Investigates 2.7 Million GM Trucks, SUVs

Fire hazard probed in 21 models

ConsumerAffairs.com -- June 17, 2008 -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has intensified a investigation of 21 models of General Motors trucks and SUVS manufactured between 2006 and 2008 because of the possibility of an engine compartment fire.

More than 2,700,000 GM trucks and SUVs are the subject of the the investigation because of the possibility that a fire might erupt inside the engine compartment, even when the ignition is turned off.

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) at the federal safety agency reported that investigators are now aware of "41 non-crash engine compartment fires" in the GM trucks and SUVs including 8 fires that may have caused significant property damage.

The GM vehicles under investigation are:

• Cadillac Escalade ESV and EXT from the 2007 and 2008 model years
• Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 from the 2007 and 2008 model years
• 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche 2500
• 2007 Chevrolet Silverado
• Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 from the 2007 and 2008 model years
• Chevrolet Suburban 1500 and 2500 from the 2007 and 2008 model years
• Chevrolet Tahoe from the 2007 and 2008 models year
• 2008 GMC Sierra,
• GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 from the 2007 and 2008 model years
• 2007 GMC Sierra Classic
• 2007 GMC Silverado, GMC Yukon from the 2007 and 2008 model years
• GMC Yukon XL 1500, XL 2500 from the 2007 and 2008 model years
• Hummer H2 from the 2006 to 2007 model years
• 2008 Hummer H2 Utility, and •the Hummer H2 from the 2006 to 2008 model years

"GM provided ODI with 41 allegations of non-crash engine compartment fires including 16 allegations of fires origination with the ignition in the off position," according to the NHTSA Web site.

Investigators are examining the electrical system, engine and engine cooling system; battery cables; under-hood wiring, fuses and circuit breakers.

NHTSA investigator are now call the probe an "engineering analysis" which could eventually lead to a recall of the General Motors trucks and SUVs.

MORE RECALL INFORMATION:

• Cadillac Escalade

• Chevrolet Avalanche

• Chevrolet Silverado

• Chevrolet Suburban

• Chevrolet Tahoe

• GMC Sierra

• GMC Yukon

• Hummer H2

NEWS:    Feds Step Up Probe of Chevy Aveo Stuck Throttle

Ice formation in engine can cause problems

ComnsumerAffairs.org -- February 19, 2008 -- Federal safety regulators are stepping up an investigation of the vehicle speed control system in 2004 and 2005 Chevrolet Aveos.

The Office of Defect Investigations (ODI) which is part of the National Highway traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has upgraded its evaluation of complaints which began October 19, 2007 about stuck throttles in the Aveo because of “ice formation within the engine air intact tract.”

The change, according to ODI, follows a safety recall by General Motors “involving substantially similar vehicles manufactured for sale in Canada.”

GM, according to the federal safety group twice revised the Canadian recall “to include more substantial changes to the throttle body, intake manifold, positive crankcase ventilation and engine cooling systems to further reduce air intake tract.”

After receiving 28 complaints of a stuck throttle in vehicles in the U.S. along with 46 warranty claims affecting 63 vehicles,” investigators suspect the defect occurs in the winter when the temperature is below freezing.

Information provided to ODI by GM does not include events involving stuck throttles during the “most recent winter months” so the investigation will be intensified to “further study the frequency of the alleged defect,” according to ODI.

An engineering analysis is often the last step before a NHTSA-mandated recall.

MORE RECALL INFORMATION:     Chevrolet Aveo

NEWS:    Feds Probe Fire Complaints in Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon

ConsumerAffairs.Com -- February 9, 2008 --  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating two consumer complaints that 2007 Chevrolet Tahoes and GMC Yukons caught fire while parked in home garages with the engines off.

The truck owners reported to NHTSA that both homes were badly damaged and two people were injured in one of the fires.

The NHTSA Office of Defect Investigations as open a preliminary investigation of both vehicles that could eventually lead to a recall of the SUVs. The agency estimates as many as 400,000 vehicles would be affected if a defect is identified and a recall ordered.

The General Motors SUVs are not equipped with the type of cruise control system that causes a fire in Ford Motor Co. cars and trucks. Ford has recalled more than 10 million vehicles because of a fire danger.

NHTSA also reported on its web site that a preliminary investigation is under way of 2006 Lamborghini Gallardos following three reports of fires. There are 600 of the Gallardos cars on U.S. roads.

More Recall Information:   GMC Yukon  -   Chevy Tahoe

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