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Chevrolet Recall Information NEWS: General Motors is recalling certain 2012- 2013 Buick LaCrosse and Regal, and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco vehicles equipped with eAssist. APRIL 2013 --General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Buick LaCrosse and Regal, and model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco vehicles equipped with eAssist. These vehicles may have a condition in which the Generator Control Module (GCM) may not function properly. This could cause a gradual loss of battery charge and the illumination of the malfunction indicator light. If the vehicle is continued to be driven, the engine may stall and/or the vehicle may not start. In addition, there may be a burning or melting odor, smoke, and possibly a fire in the trunk. GM will notify owners and dealers will test the GCM and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provide a notification schedule. GM's recall campaign number is 13136. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: General Motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Chevrolet Express vehicles MARCH 2013 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Chevrolet Express vehicles converted by Impco Automotive to run compressed natural gas (CNG), manufactured between November 23, 2010 and December 23, 2010 and equipped with a four tank configuration using a pressure relief device (PRD) and pressure relief vent pipe assembly . In the affected vehicles, the pressure relief vent pipe assembly may have been built incorrectly. If a pressure relief device activates with an improperly assembled vent pipe, compressed natural gas may be vented into the passenger compartment. If an ignition source is present, an explosion or fire may result. Impco Automotive, in cooperation with General Motors will inspect and make any necessary repairs on the pressure relief device and vent pipe assembly. The safety recall is expexted to begin by the end of March 2013. This is General Motors campaign number 13065. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Feds could add a million GM midsize cars to recall, 2004-2011 Chevrolet Malibu and the 2007-2009 Saturn Aura MARCH 2013 -- Safety regulators in the U.S. are investigating whether to add more than a million General Motors midsize cars to a recall for brake light problems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it's checking into complaints about the 2004 to 2011 Chevrolet Malibu and the 2007 to 2009 Saturn Aura. The safety agency says the brake lights may not come on when the pedal is pressed, while at other times the lights can illuminate for no reason. In 2009, GM recalled about 8,000 Pontiac G6 midsize cars from the 2005 model year for the same problem. The government announced in February that it's investigating whether to add 550,000 G6s sold from 2005 to 2009. Now the agency is investigating 97 complaints from Malibu and Aura owners about the same problems. The two cars share many of the same parts with the G6, but GM spokesmen were unsure Tuesday whether all three cars have the same brake lights. The Detroit company sold more than 1.5 million Malibus and Auras from 2004 through 2011, according to Ward's AutoInfoBank, but it was unclear how many of them are included in the investigation. No additional recalls have been issued beyond the 8,000 cars called in for repairs in 2009, although NHTSA says it opened the probe "to determine if the scope of the recall should be expanded or an adjustment in existing remedies is required." NHTSA says if the brake lights don't illuminate, drivers behind the cars won't be warned, and that could lead to a crash. A GM spokesman said Tuesday the company has no reports of crashes or injuries. In the 2009 recall, GM traced the problem to corrosion in a wiring connector. Dealers were to fix it by putting a lubricant on the connector to prevent corrosion. The company sent dealers a service bulletin in October of 2010 detailing how to fix similar brake light problems in Malibus and Auras, NHTSA said. Some of the owners who complained about G6 brake light problems also said the cruise control may not engage or will disengage unintentionally. Owners who suspect brake light or cruise control problems should take their cars to any Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac or GMC dealer. GM shut down the Pontiac and Saturn brands in 2010 as part of its massive restructuring. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles FEBRUARY 2013 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles, manufactured December 6, 2011, through January 15, 2013. One or more rear suspension bolts may not have been tightened to the specified torque. This may lead to sudden changes in vehicle handling. Sudden changes in vehicle handling may increase the risk of a crash. General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and retighten the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notifications have already begun and will be completed shortly. This is General Motors recall number 13008. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. 13V024000 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: General Motors is recalling certain 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles FEBRUARY 2013 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals. If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal airbag, that airbag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury. General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on February 13, 2013. . This is General Motors recall number 12261 and is an expansion of NHTSA recall 12V-522. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. 13V023000 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: GM is recalling certain 2013 Chevrolet Express and 2013 GMC Savana vehicles JANUARY 2013 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Express vehicles manufactured November 1, 2012, through December 21, 2012; and model year 2013 GMC Savana vehicles, manufactured November 14, 2012, through November 20, 2012. It may be possible to remove the key from the ignition when the vehicle is running or the transmission is not in the Park position. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft Protection." If the ignition key is removed while the vehicle is still on and/or the vehicle is not in Park, the vehicle may rollaway and the unintended movement of the vehicle may result in a possible crash or injury to pedestrians. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition lock cylinder and the two associated keys. This service will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on January 23, 2013. For more information, General Motors' safety recall number is 12332. Customers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or go to www.safercar.gov 13V010000 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: General Motors recalls Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Savana, Sierra, and Yukon vehicles JANUARY 2013 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles, manufactured between November 7, 2012, through December 18, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect", and FMVSS No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention." The vehicles may have been built with a fractured park lock cable or a malformed steering column lock actuator gear in the lock module assembly. As a result, the vehicle may shift from Park with the ignition key removed or the ignition key in the OFF position. The vehicle may also shift out of Park without application of the brake pedal while the key is off. Either of these scenarios may cause the vehicle to roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible vehicle crash and/or injury. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on January 17, 2013. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438. Cadillac owners may call 1-866-982-2339. GMC owners may call 1-866-996-9463. General Motors' number for this recall is 12331. Customers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or go to www.safercar.gov .13V001000 MORE RECALL INFO:
NEWS: General Motors recalls 2010-2012 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles DECEMBER 2012 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured from November 9, 2009, through August 28, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 113, "Hood Latch System." The hood may be missing the secondary hood latch. If the primary hood latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly. During vehicle operation, this could obstruct the view of the driver and increase the risk of a crash. General Motors will notify owners and instruct them to inspect their vehicle for the presence of a secondary hood latch. Dealers will replace the hood on any affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on January 17, 2013. GM's number for this campaign is 12319. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. 12V594000 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: General Motors is recalling certain 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles OCTOBER 2012 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals. If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal airbag, that airbag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury. General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300. This is General Motors recall number 12261. 12V-522 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: GM recalling nearly 41,000 cars for potential fuel leaks, fire risks SEPTEMBER 2012 -- General Motors Co. said Saturday it is recalling nearly 41,000 vehicles sold in some hot weather states because a faulty part could cause fuel leaks and start a fire. GM said it recalling 40,859 2007-09 model vehicles that have a plastic piece on the fuel pump module that may crack, which could cause a fuel leak. The vehicles recalled are:
GM said owners of recalled cars may notice a fuel odor while the vehicle is being driven or after it is parked. If the crack becomes large enough and impedes the flow of fuel to the engine, vehicle performance could be affected and a warning light may illuminate on the instrument cluster. Fuel also may drip onto the ground and, if an ignition source were present, a fire could occur.,,,,In states that are not part of the recall, GM will offer free repairs of the condition for up to 10 years from the date of production or 120,000 miles for the 2006-09 model year Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5; 2006-07 Saturn Ion; and 2007-09 model year Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent. MORE RECALL INFO: SEPTEMBER 2012 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles originally sold or currently registered in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas; model year 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Saturn ION vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, or Texas; model year 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona; and model year 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oklahoma, or Texas. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the plastic supply or return port on the fuel pump module may crack, which could cause a fuel leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of c GM's campaign number is 12190. This recall is an expansion of recall 09V-419. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov 12V459000 NEWS: GM recalling 426,000 Saturn Aura, Chevy Malibu, Pontiac G6 vehicles SEPTEMBER 2012 -- General Motors Co. is issuing two new recall campaigns, calling back 430,000 vehicles to fix transmission gear shift cables and faulty turn signal bulbs. The Detroit automaker said Friday it is recalling 426,240 Chevrolet, Pontiac and Saturn sedans in the United States to repair a condition in which the transmission gear position may not match the gear on the shifter. That could lead to the vehicles rolling when drivers think they are in park. "The driver would be able to remove the key from the ignition, but the door locks may not unlock automatically and the PARK indicator lamp would not be illuminated. The driver may not be able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle could roll away," GM said. The recalled vehicles are 2007-10 Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Aura and Pontiac G6 models, all with four-speed automatic transmissions. GM is aware of four crashes but no injuries because of the condition. Dealers will add reinforcement to the shift cable end fitting to prevent the end fitting from fracturing. GM discovered the issue while responding to a related investigation by the National Highway Traffic safety Administration into the 2007-08 Saturn Aura on a related shift cable condition. That investigation remains open. GM observed elevated shift cable warranty claims on certain GM models with a unique shift cable design produced by a new supplier starting the second half of the 2008 model year. MORE RECALL INFO: SEPTEMBER 2012 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate. If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would be able to move the shifter to 'PARK' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in 'PARK.' The vehicle may not be able to be restarted and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning. GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. GM has not provided a notification schedule. General Motors safety recall number 12106. Customers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or go to www.safercar.gov 12V-460 NEWS: GM recalling 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles SEPTEMBER 2012 -- General Motors Co. is recalling 4,716 2013 Chevrolet Sonic subcompacts in the United States because a faulty turn signal bulb may not be indicated to the driver. Federal standards require notification to the driver. Dealers will reprogram the Body Control Module, which was incorrectly calibrated for Sonics built between May 29 and Aug. 29 this year at the Orion Assembly Plant. The issue was discovered during validation of a future Body Control Module. GM is unaware of any crashes or injuries related to the condition. MORE RECALL INFO: SEPTEMBER 2012 -- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured from May 29, 2012, through August 29, 2012. When a turn signal lamp fails to operate, the Body Control Module (BCM) in these vehicles does not detect this condition and will not indicate the condition to the driver. Thus, These vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." If the driver is not aware that the turn signal is not functioning and does not have the light repaired, other drivers may not be alerted that the vehicle is turning, increasing the risk of a crash. GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the BCM and the vehicle's key fobs, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on October 3, 2012. GM's campaign number is 12209. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. 12V-454 NEWS: GM recalling 2012 Sonics for wiper problems AUGUST 2012 -- General Motors Co said Saturday it is recalling nearly 45,000 2012 Chevrolet Sonic cars to fix faulty windshield wiper reservoirs. The Detroit automaker said the windshield wiper washer hose on 44,668 Sonic vehicles may separate from the washer fluid reservoir. If this happens, washer fluid will not be available to the windshield. GM said a lack of washer fluid could impede the driver's view, increasing the risk of a crash. GM dealers will ensure the washer hose is properly connected to the reservoir. The automaker said it notified dealers on Aug. 14 and will notify owners on Sept. 7. GM said it had an elevated number of warranty reports of separating washer hoses and an investigation found an inappropriate lubricant used in the assembly process was to blame. MORE RECALL INFO: AUGUST 2012 -- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured from May 5, 2011, through February 24, 2012. These vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems." The windshield wiper washer hose on these vehicles may separate from the washer fluid reservoir. If this occurs, washer fluid will not be available to the windshield. A lack of washer fluid could impede the driver's view, increasing the risk of a crash. GM will notify owners, and dealers will secure the windshield washer hose to prevent separation, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on, or about, September 7, 2012. GM's recall campaign number is 12176. Customers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov 12V-408 NEWS: General Motors recalling midsize SUVs for door lock issues General Motors Co. said Saturday it is recalling 249,260 midsize SUVS in 20 states and the District of Columbia because of side door power door lock failure that could lead to fires. The recall also includes another 9,150 vehicles in Canada and a few thousand exports making the total 260,000 worldwide GM said fluid can get inside the driver's door module and cause corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. That could lead to possible failure of the power door lock and window switches. GM said in rare instances, the short may cause overheating. That could melt components of the door module and produce odor, smoke and a fire. GM is aware of fires in door modules but none where a fire has extended beyond the vehicle interior. No known crashes or injuries are related to the issue. In June, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ungraded its investigation of the issue to an engineering analysis. GM had at least 167 reports and 698 warranty claims that related to the alleged problem. NHTSA has received 83 complaints, 66 alleging the door module had melted or burned, and the remaining 17 stating that the window switches acted erratically or were inoperative. Twenty-eight of the reports received have led to driver door fires, some of which allege the vehicle was keyed off and unattended. The recall covers some 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; 2006-07 Trailblazer, Envoy, Buick Rainier, Saab 9-7x, and Isuzu Ascender vehicles originally sold or currently registered in "salt belt states" of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. MORE RECALL INFO: AUGUST 2012 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, SAAB 9-7x, and Isuzu Ascender vehicles, originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Fluid may enter the driver's door module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. A short may cause the power door lock and power window switches to function intermittently or become inoperative. The short may also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke, or a fire. A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. The remedy plan is still being finalized. A notification schedule has not been determined yet. Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC owners will be notified by GM. Isuzu owners will be notified by Isuzu Motors. SAAB owners will be notified by SAAB Cars North America GM's campaign number is 12180. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. 12V-406 NEWS: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2003-2004 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles AUGUST 2012 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with a left side cargo door, and originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Water and road contaminants may become trapped in the protective conduit that covers the fuel filler pipe and may cause the pipe to corrode. Significant corrosion may allow fuel to leak during refueling, and in the presence of an ignition source; there is an increased risk of fire. GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a new fuel filler neck, free of charge. GM has not provided a notification schedule. GM's campaign number is 12166. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. 12V-388 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: GM recalls more than 38,000 Impala police cars AUGUST 2012 -- General Motors is recalling more than 38,000 Chevrolet Impala police cars because a part in the front suspension can fracture and could cause a crash. The company says in government documents that the recall affects police cars from the 2008 through 2012 model years. GM says Impalas sold to the public have different suspension parts and are not affected. GM says the front lower control arm can fracture. That could cause sudden changes in handling, and the driver may not be able to control the car, particularly at high speeds. Company spokesman says GM doesn't know of any crashes or injuries from the problem. He says parts are available, and police departments should call dealers to schedule repairs. The cars were sold in the U.S. and Canada. MORE RECALL INFO: AUGUST 2012 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Chevrolet Impala police vehicles because the front lower control arms may fracture. This safety recall does not include non-police Chevrolet Impala vehicles. A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower control arms, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on August 21, 2012. GM's campaign number is 12104. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. 12V-377 NEWS: Report: The 7 Most Dangerous Cars on American Roads JULY 2012 -- Two crossovers, two SUVs, two pickups and the Jeep Wrangler are among the vehicles deemed the most dangerous in America by the business blog 24/7 Wall Street. The website analyzed safety data compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Consumer Reports, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration and J.D. Power. "The cars with the worst scores most commonly received poor grades in the rollover and rear-impact tests," writes .. 24/7 Wall Street. Those include the Ram 1500, Mazda CX-7 and CX-9, Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cab, Suzuki SX4, Nissan Pathfinder and Jeep Wrangler. Each of these vehicles received poor or marginal ratings by the IIHS in two of the four categories it uses for crash-test evaluation. The four categories are: a head-on crash traveling at 40 mph; a side-impact crash with a 3,300-pound object hitting the vehicle at 31 mph; a rollover test in which a metal plate strikes the corner of the vehicle until it rolls over; and a rear-impact test, which gauges seat and seat belt protection against whiplash. Additionally, five of the seven most dangerous vehicles were low scorers in the J.D. Power overall Initial Quality Study, scoring three or fewer points out of five. The IIHS's side-impact test results for the Colorado Crew Cab were particularly grim; the vehicle has received a poor rating in this category each year since 2004. The Jeep Wrangler, too, ranked poor for side impact from 2007 to 2012 and ranked marginal, the second-lowest rating, from 1997 to 2006. As 24/7 Wall Street notes, poor safety ratings don't necessarily translate to poor sales. All seven of the most treacherous models experienced increased sales in the past year. Writes Wall Street Journal, "In all but one case ... sales grew at least 19% last year." MORE RECALL INFO:
NEWS: GM recalls Chevy Captiva for faulty parking brakes JUNE 2012 -- General Motors Co. said Wednesday it is recalling 2,000 2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport crossovers over potentially faulty parking brakes. GM said some vehicles don't meet federal brake performance requirements because the parking brake cable may separate from the connector and fail to operate. In mid-May the condition was discovered at GM's Ramos Assembly plant in Mexico - and 15 vehicles were found with separated brake cables that hadn't been shipped. A GM investigation found the problem followed a design change made in April. GM plans to begin the recall July 18 of vehicles built between April 26 and May 17.. GM dealers will inspect the cables to make sure they are secure. No injuries or crashes were reported by GM. GM has sold 17,921 Captiva Sport CUVs in the first half of the year. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: GM recalls 475,418 Chevy Cruze for engine shield; Fire Risk JUNE 2012 -- General Motors Co is recalling 475,418 of its popular compact Chevrolet Cruze sedans to modify the under-engine shield so flammable liquids are not trapped in the engine compartment, the automaker said on Friday. The recall covers 2011 and 2012 Cruze sedans that were built at GM's Lordstown, Ohio plant from September 2010 through May 2012. The recall covers 475,000 vehicles made in the U.S. from September of 2010 through May of 2012. The fires can break out when fluids drip onto a hot plastic shield below the engine. The problem occurs mainly when oil is spilled and not properly cleaned up during changes, General Motors said Friday. The company knows of 30 fires caused by the problem, but no injuries have been reported, spokesman Alan Adler said. Flames engulfed and destroyed cars in two cases reported to federal safety officials. READ MORE.... JUNE 2012 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011 and 2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured from October 2, 2009, through May 31, 2012. Spilled or dripping oil (such as after an oil change) may collect in the engine shield (bellypan) near hot engine or exhaust system surfaces. As a result, the oil and the engine shield may ignite and burn. Either condition could result in an engine compartment fire, possibly causing injury or death. Gm will notify owners, and dealers will modify the engine shield to prevent fluid from contacting the shield. Also, on vehicles with a manual transmission, dealers will apply a protective tape to the electronic power steering wire harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge to the owner. The safety recall is expected to begin on, or about, july 11, 2012. . GM’s campaign number is 12081. Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov . 12V-288 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Feds add 2012 model year to Chevy Cruze fire probe MAY 2012 -- U.S. safety officials have added the 2012 model year to an investigation of engine fires in the Chevrolet Cruze compact car. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said last month it was investigating the 2011 Cruze because of two complaints of fires that engulfed and destroyed the cars. In documents posted on its website this week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration asked GM for information about fires in 2011 and 2012 Cruzes. The request, made in April, focused on electrical wiring and connectors, and on a computer module that controls the transmission. NHTSA asked GM for any allegations of overheated wiring or smoke and fire coming from the engine compartment. The Cruze is a key car for Chevrolet and General Motors because it's a strong entry in a market where GM had weak products in the past. The car, built in Lordstown, Ohio, came out in 2010 as a 2011 model. It was the top-selling compact in the U.S. from May through September last year. So far this year, GM has sold more than 75,000 Cruzes, about the same sales pace as 2011. Initially the government probe covered about 177,000 Cruzes from the 2011 model year. GM spokesman Alan Adler said the probe now covers about 370,000 cars. GM is cooperating with the investigation, said Adler, who would not comment further because the investigation is in progress. The Cruze has not been recalled, although NHTSA investigations can lead to recalls. No one was hurt in the two 2011 Cruze fires that were reported to the government. In addition, the government has received one complaint of a fire in a 2012 Cruze. The driver told NHTSA that on April 29, flames came from the front of the car while it was being driven around 45 miles per hour. Firefighters had to put out the blaze but no one was injured. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles MAY 2012 -- General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from October 24, 2011, through march 31, 2012. After an event of hard braking, the sensing and diagnostic module (sdm) may reset itself. If this occurs during an aggressive turning maneuver, and then afterwards a potential vehicle rollover event is sensed, the roof rail airbag may unintentionally deploy. Additionally, the air bags and/or seatbelt pretensioners may not deploy during a severe crash, increasing the risk of personal injury. Gm will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the sdm. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on June 1, 2012. Gm’s safety recall campaign number is 12102. Customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov. 12V-224 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: GM is recalling certain 2011-2012 Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, and GMC Acadia Vehicles APRIL 2012 - General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet traverse, Buick enclave, and GMC Acadia vehicles currently registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the DIstrict of Columbia. Snow or ice buildup on the windshield or on the wiper may restrict the movement of the wiper arm, causing the wiper arm to loosen and cause the wiper to become inoperative. If this occurs, driver visibility could be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash. Gm will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the wiper arm nuts, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about April 16, 2012. Gm’s safety recall campaign number is 12036. Customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov. 12V-151 MORE RECALL INFO:
NEWS: The NHTSA opening investigations into engine fires in 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and 2010 Jeep Wrangler vehicles APRIL 2012 -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Sunday it is opening investigations into engine fires in 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and 2010 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. NHTSA said it has received two complaints of engine compartment fire in 2011 Cruze cars. Both complaints were received within the last month and said engulfing fires resulted in total vehicle loss. The investigation into the Cruze covers 177,000 vehicles, while the Jeep Wrangler investigation covers 100,000 vehicles. NHTSA also is also reviewing field reports submitted as part of Early Warning Reporting data that relate to the alleged defect. READ MORE..... MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Express and Suburban vehicles, and GMC Savana and Yukon XL heavy duty vehicles MARCH 2012 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Express and Suburban vehicles, and GMC Savana and Yukon XL heavy duty vehicles. The steering gear pitman shaft may not have been adequately hardened and could fracture. If this condition occurs, a loss of steering could result, increasing the risk of a crash. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering gear and, if necessary, replace the steering gear pitman shaft. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on April 4, 2012. GM’s safety recall campaign number is 12055. Customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov 12V-112 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: GM recalls Chevrolet Sonic models to check for missing brake pads DECEMBER 2011 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured from June 2, 2011, through November 21, 2011. On some of these vehicles, the front brake inner or outer pad may be missing. A missing pad could result in reduced brake system performance, increasing the risk of a crash. Gm will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brakes for a missing inner or outer pad. If a brake pad is missing, dealers will install new inner and outer pads, a new brake caliper, and a new rotor. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before January 14, 2012.GM's safety recall campaign number is 11354. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov . 11V-599
NEWS: GM recalls Chevrolet Captiva over fire risks DECEMBER 2011 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Captiva vehicles manufactured from October 2, 2009, through april 21, 2011. Driving the vehicle with the transmission in manual mode and in first gear causes the engine and power steering pump to operate at higher speed than is typical. Increased pump speed generates heat that is transferred to the power steering fluid and can result in power steering fluid temperatures that approach the power steering pump reservoirs melting point. After prolonged exposure to elevated fluid temperatures, the reservoir may leak. Leaking fluid, in the presence of an ignition source, may result in a fire. Gm will notify owners and dealers will replace the power steering fluid cooler with an improved version, free of charge. An advisory letter to customers, along with instructions, will be mailed in january 2012. When parts become available, gm will send another letter asking customer to take their vehicle to a gm dealer to have the repairs performed. GM anticipates parts will be available in march 2012. Gm's recall number is 11333. Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov . 11V-591 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Battery fires prompt govt probe of Chevy Volt YAHOO NEWS -- November 28, 2011 – US federal regulators have launched a formal safety defect investigation of the Chevrolet Volt after new battery fires in tests, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. Earlier this month, US officials said they had launched an investigation into electric vehicle safety after a damaged lithium battery in a Volt caught fire three weeks after a crash test. Nobody was hurt in the May fire, which damaged property at a government testing facility in Wisconsin. The NHTSA then sought to recreate the May test, carrying out three tests last week on Volt lithium-ion battery packs, intentionally damaging the battery compartment and breaking its coolant line. In two of the tests, the batteries caught fire, it said. "NHTSA is therefore opening a safety defect investigation of Chevy Volts, which could experience a battery-related fire following a crash," the safety watchdog said in a statement. "Chevy Volt owners whose vehicles have not been in a serious crash do not have reason for concern," the statement stressed. There has so far been no recall, and the NHTSA said it had no reports of real-life crashes that led to battery-related fires in Chevy Volts or other vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries. Still "the agency is concerned that damage to the Volt's batteries as part of three tests that are explicitly designed to replicate real-world crash scenarios have resulted in fire," it stressed. "If NHTSA identifies an unreasonable risk to safety, the agency will take immediate action to notify consumers and ensure that GM communicates with current vehicle owners," the statement added. GM insisted in a statement that the vehicle is "safe and does not present undue risk as part of normal operation or immediately after a severe crash," and said it supported further testing by the NHTSA. "GM and the agency's focus and research continues to be on battery performance, handling, storage and disposal after a crash or other significant event, like a fire, to better serve first and secondary responders," said GM's chief engineer for electric vehicles. "There have been no reports of comparable incidents in the field." NOVEMBER 2011 -- On May 12, 2011, NHTSA performed a NCAP side pole impact test, followed by a post impact rollover test on a Chevrolet Volt. In connection with that testing, NHTSA has identified the potential for intrusion damage to the battery which may result in a substantial thermal reaction and fire. Twenty-one days after the May 12, 2011 testing, delayed thermal heating and pressure release resulted in a fire that consumed the Chevrolet Volt and three other vehicles in close proximity at the test facility. During the week of November 14, 2011, NHTSA performed follow-up battery-level tests to simulate the incident. NHTSA performed three tests simulating the mechanical damage to a battery pack observed from the first incident. Two of the three tests produced thermal events, including fire. Because of these test results, NHTSA has opened this investigation to examine the potential risks involved from intrusion damage to the battery in the Chevrolet Volt, in coordination with the agency’s ongoing review of the emerging technology involved in electric vehicles PE11037 NEWS: General Motors is recalling certain 2012 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles; Seat Belts NOVEMBER 2011 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles, manufactured from September 9, 2011, through October 19, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 208, "occupant crash protection." these vehicles may have been produced with driver safety belt buckle electrical connector terminals that do not fit snugly with the connector pins, causing the connection to be intermittent. The loose connections may cause the driver to not receive a visual or audible warning that the driver seat belt is not fastened, thereby increasing the risk of personal injury in the event of a crash. GM will notify owners and dealers will replace the seat belt buckle electrical connector terminals free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before november 30, 2011. GM's safety recall campaign number is 11322. 11V-552 NEWS: GM is recalling 2012 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles; Air Bags NOVEMBER 2011 -- GM is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles manufactured from June 2, 2011, through October 17, 2011. The second stage of the dual-stage air bag will not inflate in a severe frontal impact. Accordingly, the air bags fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety no. 208, "occupant crash protection." an improperly deployed air bag will increase the risk of injury to the occupant. Gm will notify owners, and dealers will install a new front passenger air bag free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2011. GM's recall campaign number is 11302. 11V-543 MORE RECALL INFO: OCTOBER 2011 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, manufactured from July 18, 2011, through September 6, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System" (TPMS). The tire pressure monitoring system is designed to illuminate the tire pressure warning light when the pressure in a tire is 25% below the recommended cold tire pressure. On these vehicles, the light will not illuminate until the tire pressure is more than 25% below the recommended cold tire pressure. Underinflated tires can result in tire overloading and overheating, which could lead to a blowout and possible crash. The resulting crash could cause serious injury. Underinflated tires can also result in premature or irregular wear, poor handling, and poor fuel economy. GM dealers will update the body control module free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about November 9, 2011. 11V-511 OCTOBER 2011 -- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe vehicles, manufactured from January 24, 2011, through September 1, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components". The rear hatch hinges may not meet the load requirements specified in the safety standard. The rear hatch could separate in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury. GM will notify owners and dealers will replace both rear hatch hinges free of charge. The safety recall began on October 14, 2011. 11V-491 NEWS: Regulators probing gear shift trouble with GM cars YAHOO NEWS -- November 14, 2011 – Federal safety regulators are investigating problems with the automatic shift levers on several General Motors cars because drivers may think the cars are in park when they actually are in gear. Seven crashes have been reported because of the problem, including one in which a driver put a car in park, got out and was struck and injured when the car unexpectedly rolled backward, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday in documents posted on its website. Another car put in park with the engine running reportedly accelerated and ran into a wall after the driver got out. NHTSA said the protective jacket around cables connecting the floor shift lever to the transmission can deteriorate, exposing the cables to the elements. Cables can corrode and weaken, and the shift lever position can change so it doesn't match the car's gear. That means a driver could put the car in park but the transmission could be in drive or reverse. In some cases, the car may not shift at all. The probe began with complaints about the Saturn Aura midsize car from the 2007 and 2008 model years, affecting nearly 89,000 vehicles. But the agency said it is now checking to see if the problems extend to other GM vehicles. The Chevrolet Malibu from the 2004 to 2008 model years and the Pontiac G6 from the 2005 to 2008 model years have similar shifting systems, the agency said. NHTSA said it received three reports of crashes caused by the problem, while GM received four, including the one that injured the driver. No details were given on whether the driver was seriously hurt. In another case, a driver put the car in park, but the transmission stayed in reverse. "When the driver exited with the engine running, the vehicle continued (accelerated) in reverse and struck a building," NHTSA said. GM told the agency that the problem affects mainly models with four-speed transmissions, but not six-speed transmissions. NHTSA said it has upgraded the investigation to an analysis that will check how many times the cables have failed, the consequences "and the scope of vehicles that may be affected, including the models, model years and transmission types." An investigation doesn't necessarily mean that the vehicles will be recalled. Company spokesman ...said GM is cooperating in the investigation. The company will make free shifter cable repairs on affected 2007 and 2008 Auras, and it will cover the repairs for 10 years or 120,000 miles from the date the original owner picked up the car. Those who already have paid for repairs should keep receipts for reimbursement, Company spokesman said. Although the Malibu and G6 have similar shift systems, the problem happens far less frequently on those cars than it does on the Aura, Company spokesman said. The same parts maker supplied cables for all three vehicles, but the Malibu and G6 cables are not exactly like the Aura's, he said. Anyone who has an issue with shifting should contact a GM dealer. GM got rid of the Saturn and Pontiac brands last year, and other dealers, mainly Chevrolet, became their authorized repair centers. GM sold more than 815,000 Chevy Malibus in calendar years 2004 through 2008 and over 570,000 Pontiac G6 models from 2005 through 2008, according to Autodata Corp. and Ward's AutoInfoBank. It's unlikely that all of those cars will be covered by the investigation because they have several types of transmissions. In March of 2009, GM recalled about 277,000 vehicles for a similar shift lever problem, although NHTSA documents say that was caused by a faulty clip used to adjust the cable. At that time the recall involved 2009 model year versions of the Buick Enclave; Chevrolet Cobalt, HHR, Malibu and Traverse; GMC Acadia; Pontiac G5 and G6; and the Saturn Aura and Outlook. Only 75,000 of the vehicles had been sold, and the rest were still at dealerships. MORE RECALL INFO: AUGUST 2011 -- GM is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured from April 19, 2011, through July 29, 2011. The upper power steering hose may have been misrouted so that it can come in close proximity to and/or contact the catalytic converter. With the engine on, heat from the catalytic converter may melt the power steering hose. Power steering fluid could flow onto the catalytic converter, and an engine compartment fire could occur. Gm dealers will inspect to ensure that the upper power steering hose is routed correctly and make the necessary repairs free of charge. The safety recall began on September 5, 2011. 11V-398 AUGUST 2011 -- GM is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick LaCrosse passenger vehicles manufactured from June 9, 2011, through July 2, 2011, for failing to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems (ESC)." The stabilitrak system has an incorrect calibration that may cause the system to not properly detect if a sensor were to malfunction, and the warning light indicating that the system is not operating would not illuminate, as required in the safety standard. The improper diagnosing may cause the esc to falsely activate, resulting in sudden changes in vehicle handling and deceleration, particularly at higher speeds, which may cause the driver difficulty in maintaining the vehicle's desired path of travel and desired vehicle speed, and could result in a crash without warning. GM dealers will reprogram the electronic brake control module free of charge. The safety recall began on September 12, 2011. 11V-404 JUNE 2011 -- GM is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV; Chevrolet Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe; and GMC Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The intermediate steering shaft attaching bolts may not have been tightened to the proper specification. This could allow the joints to separate, and the driver could experience loss of steering increasing the risk of a crash. GM dealers will inspect and ensure that the intermediate steering shaft bolts are tightened to the proper specification. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about July 13, 2011. 11V-339 JUNE 2011 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.9 or 3.7 liter engine and a four-speed automatic transmission for failing to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect," and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 114, "Theft Protection." These vehicles may have been built with an automatic transmission adjustment clip that may not retain the shift cable in the correct position. If the shift cable is not in the correct position, the PRNDL shift lever may not accurately reflect the position of the transmission gear. The driver could move the shifter to "park" and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in "park." The driver may not be able to restart the vehicle, and the vehicle could roll away as the driver or other occupants exit the vehicle or have exited, resulting in the possibility of the vehicle striking them or someone around the vehicle, or could result in a crash without prior warning. GM dealers will install a new automatic transmission adjustment clip free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about July 19, 2011. 11V-337 NEWS: GM to recall some Impala and LaCrosse models YAHOO NEWS -- August 12, 2011 – ..DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is recalling some 2012 Chevrolet Impala and Buick LaCrosse models to fix safety problems. GM says 11,915 Impalas are being recalled in the U.S. and Canada because a power steering fluid hose gets too close to the catalytic converter. The hose can melt, and fluid can leak and start a fire. GM said Friday that it knows of no complaints or injuries. The large sedans were built from April 19 through July 29. GM also is recalling 4,293 LaCrosse sedans in the U.S. and Canada to fix software that runs a computer that controls the brakes. The software may not detect a malfunctioning sensor. If the sensor fails it could change the way the car handles and cause a crash. GM says no crashes have been reported. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Impala owners sue GM over alleged defect causing tires to wear out DETROIT NEWS -- July 5, 2011 – A class-action suit has been filed against General Motors Co., complaining that GM fixed rear-end problems on police versions of 2007-08 Impalas, but not those owned by some 400,000 other drivers. The problem, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Detroit, causes owners to burn through rear tires. The suit was brought on behalf of a Pennsylvania woman and wants GM to replace potentially faulty rear suspension rods. The Detroit-based automaker sold 423,000 Impalas over the two-year period. The suit — if successful — could cost GM millions of dollars in replaced tires and parts. It's the latest challenge by owners to automakers who limit the scope of auto recalls or service campaigns. It's also sparked dozens of angry complaints from owners. Americans spend about $20 billion annually on about 200 million replacement tires, according to a 2006 government report. Alignments and other related issues add billions in annual repair costs to the nation's more than 250 million vehicles on the roads. The only owner currently named in the suit, ..., of Blakely, Pa., bought a new Chevrolet Impala in February 2008 and said the tires wore out within 6,000 miles. The GM dealer replaced the tires and provided an alignment, but didn't disclose the spindle rod issue, the owner said. According to the suit, GM issued a service bulletin in 2008 for police versions of the Impala. Last November, the owner couldn't pass an annual inspection without getting another set of rear tires — even though the vehicle had fewer than 25,000 miles. "Despite having knowledge of this premature wear problem, (GM) has not recalled the subject cars, which has required class members to pay the cost of fixing the defective spindle rods as well as for replacement tires and realignment," alleges the lawsuit, filed last week. In its July 2008 bulletin, GM told its dealers to replace the rods, align the rear wheels and, if necessary, replace the rear tires. Police agencies that had replaced rear tires themselves could seek reimbursement for a year. GM spokesman ..declined to comment on the suit because the automaker hadn't reviewed it. GM spokeswoman .. declined to comment on the suit, but said the police version of the Impala was different from those sold to others. It has a special electrical system and special suspension system, she said, to accommodate law enforcement needs. A lawyer representing the owners, said police Impalas were not significantly different from those sold to the general public when it came to the rear tires and performance of rods. "We don't think there's a meaningful difference in terms of the defect," the laywer said Friday. Lawyers for the owner cite numerous complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and message boards such as Edmunds.com, carcomplaints.com and aboutautomobile.com. The government has never opened a formal investigation into the 2007 or 2008 Impala. A complaint filed with the NHTSA in March said the owner of a 2007 Impala replaced tires twice in less than two years. The owner also filed a complaint with GM. "Was told by my dealership that GM knows about this problem and has come out with a … kit to fix problem, but I had to purchase it," the owner wrote. "Excessive wear is a safety problem and I guess people have to die for action to be taken." Another complaint, also filed with the NHTSA in March, said the tires wore out in just 6,000 miles. "The vehicle has 45,000 miles on it and this is the second set of tires in 6,000 miles," the complaint said. One complaint said the owner had replaced tires three times on a 2008 Impala LTZ with 41,000 miles. "This is the first Chevy Impala I have owned," the complainant wrote in August 2010. "Was completely satisfied with my Pontiacs." The Georgia owner of a 2008 Impala LTZ who bought the car in October 2009 said he had a blowout in Bainbridge, Pa., in February 2010 — "nearly causing a crash" — after driving fewer than 11,000 miles on a new set of tires. "There is no way possible that I should have to be replacing two worn-out tires within 10,829 miles," he wrote. "This is unheard of." Sean Kane, who heads the auto safety group Safety Research & Strategies, which often works with plaintiff's attorneys, said automakers frequently look to reduce repair and recall costs. "It's not uncommon to see automakers try to limit the fix. They may look to take care of the biggest part of the problem if it will save money," Kane said
NEWS: GM announces two recalls affecting 10,000 trucks YAHOO NEWS -- July 1, 2011 – General Motors Co announced two separate recalls on Friday affecting a little more than 10,000 pickup trucks, predominantly in North America. GM recalled more than 9,000 Chevrolet Colorado and GM Canyon trucks for the model year 2011 because these vehicles may have been built with an automotive transmission clip that could slip and inaccurately show the position of the transmission gear. A driver could move the shifter to "park," but the transmission gear might not be in "park" and the vehicle could roll away and cause a crash, according to a notice posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website. GM also is recalling some other pickup trucks for the model year 2011 because the bolts on the intermediate steering shaft may not have been tightened to the proper specification. A total of 891 trucks are affected in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The affected models include the 2011 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado and GM Sierra trucks. MORE RECALL INFO:
MAY 2011 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured fromOctober 2, 2009, through April 21, 2011. The bolt attaching the intermediate steering shaft to the steering gear input shaft may not have been properly installed. This could allow the shafts to separate, resulting in the loss of steering. Loss of steering control may increase the risk of a crash dealers will inspect, and if required, repair the intermediate shaft/steering gear assembly to assure the bolt is fully seated and the shaft properly assembled. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on May 23, 2011. 11V-270 MAY 2011 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured from October 6, 2009, through April 27, 2011 and equipped with an automatic transmission for failing to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 102, 'Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect,' and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 114, 'Theft Protection.' These vehicles may have been built with a transmission shift linkage that is not properly installed. If the linkage is not properly installed, the PRNDL shift lever may not accurately reflect the position of the transmission gear. With this condition, the driver could move the shifter topark and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in park. The driver may not be able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning. Dealers will inspect the transmission shift linkage for correct installation and adjust the shift linkage system free of charge. The safety recall began on May 23, 2011. 11V-273 MAY 2011 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 135, Passenger Car Brake Systems." Some of these vehicles may have been built with a clearance condition in which the right rear brake hose may contact the tire or wheel rim. If the brake hose repeatedly contacts the tire or wheel rim, a hole could be worn in the brake hose. A damaged brake hose may reduce the effectiveness of the rear brakes and increase the distance required to stop the vehicle. An increased braking distance may increase the risk of a crash. Dealers will secure the right rear brake hose to ensure sufficient clearance. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on May 13, 2011. . 11V-275 MAY 2011 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured from September 22, 2010, through November 5, 2010. Some of these vehicles have the condition in which the windshield wiper motor crank arm nut may not be tightened to specification. When the wipers are operated with a build-up of snow or ice, or if the wipers are operated on a dry windshield, the nut could loosen. If there is sufficient loosening of the nut, the wipers could become inoperative. Driver visibility could be reduced increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will secure the wiper motor crank arm nut free of charge. The safety recall began on May 11, 2011. 11V-276 APRIL 2011 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. During manufacturing the steering wheel could have been improperly fastened and may detach from the steering column. Should the steering wheel detach from the steering column while driving, the driver could lose the ability to steer the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect to ensure that the steering wheel is assembled properly. This service will be performed for you free of charge. The safety recall began on April 7, 2011. GM's recall campaign number is 11094. 11V-221 NEWS: GM recalls 2011 Cruze cars to inspect steering shaft YAHOO NEWS -- May 4, 2011 – General Motors Co is recalling 154,112 of its top-selling Chevrolet Cruze compact cars to check that the steering shaft was properly installed, the automaker said on Wednesday. These cars represent all of the Cruze cars built at its plant in Lordstown, Ohio, from the start of production last summer through April 21 when changes at the plant were completed to keep the issue from reoccurring, GM said. The cars were sold in the United States and Canada since last September. Of those vehicles, more than 120,000 cars with an automatic transmission will also be inspected to ensure the transmission shift linkage was properly installed, GM said. "Very few" of the vehicles should have either problem, and GM has made quality process changes to ensure neither error happens again, GM Vice President of Global Quality ...said in a statement. A GM spokesman said the wider steering shaft issue was discovered when a customer lost steering control in a parking lot, but did not have an accident. The issue regarding Cruze models with automatic transmissions was discovered when customers brought in their cars under warranty, GM said. GM said no accidents or injuries had been reported in the Cruze recall. The Cruze was GM's top-selling car in April and is instrumental to diversifying GM's lineup at a time of rising fuel prices. Only the Chevrolet Silverado sold more units for GM last month than the Cruze. An analyst with IHS Automotive, said he does not expect the recall to impact sales of the Cruze, which last year replaced the sales laggard Cobalt. "Nothing's exploding. No one's in danger," he said. A manual transmission version, the Cruze Eco, gets 42 miles per gallon on the highway and the more-popular automatic transmission version gets 37 mpg on the highway. Last month, GM recalled 2,100 Cruze cars to inspect for an improperly fastened steering wheel. GM said it would file documents on the Cruze recall with U.S. federal safety regulators on Thursday, and that it would mail notices to customers beginning next week. The inspection at Chevy dealerships will take about an hour, GM said. The fix requires no parts and is a matter of realigning the steering shaft or shifting links, GM said. Changes at the plant in Lordstown involve different tools used by workers and a change in procedure, GM said.
TRUCK, VAN RECALLS ALSO GM, the largest U.S. automaker, also announced two other recalls. No crashes or injuries stemmed from any of the recalls. The company said the nut on the windshield wiper motor crank arm could come loose on some 2011 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks, affecting 6,303 vehicles, including 4,674 trucks in the United States. And it said possible brake fluid leaks prompted it to recall 8,723 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans for the model year 2011. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: U.S. probes gas gauges in 865,000 GM vehicles DETROIT FREE PRESS -- April 29, 2011 – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into whether nearly 1 million General Motors vehicles may have faulty gas gauges. “Consumers have reported incidents of inaccurate and random fuel level reading while driving, resulting in the vehicle running out of fuel and causing vehicle stall with no restart,” NHTSA investigators said in their formal document opening the probe. GM spokesman ...said the Detroit automaker planned to “work with NHTSA and was cooperating in the investigation.” The agency estimates 865,000 vehicles could be affected, and NHTSA said it has received “668 complaints alleging inaccurate fuel gauge reading while driving in model year 2005-07 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, and Saab 9-7x vehicles.” Of those complaints, 58 involved stalls, and 43 were stalls where a driver specifically reported that it was “because the fuel level reading indicated more fuel availability than what is actually in the fuel tank.” NHTSA said at least one crash allegedly took place when a vehicle ran out of gas, when it “stalled while exiting the interstate, became disabled, and was struck from behind.” The safety agency said the complaints they were receiving showed “an apparent increasing trend” of the problem, with “most complaints received within the past year.” What NHTSA terms a preliminary evaluation has been opened this week “to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect.” NHTSA spokeswoman...told the Free Press there is “no set timetable” for how long the initial phase of the investigation could take. She said government officials would seek information from GM and ultimately decide whether to elevate the investigation into what’s known as an engineering analysis. NHTSA spokeswoman declined to provide more specific details on the cases involved. GM spokesman ...said the Detroit automaker had received NHTSA’s formal notification document about the preliminary probe, but had not yet received detailed questions from the agency about the potential gas gauge problem. He said those would likely be sent to GM by the government within the next couple of weeks. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: GM recalls Cruze cars for steering wheel issue YAHOO NEWS -- April 11, 2011 – General Motors Co is recalling about 2,100 Chevrolet Cruze small cars to inspect for an improperly fastened steering wheel after discovering one vehicle with the defect. There have been no crashes or injuries related to the vehicle with the problem, GM said. The possibly affected vehicles are for the model year 2011, GM said. "We are confident this is the only vehicle with this condition," said .. GM executive director of safety, said in a statement. The Cruze small car was launched overseas in late 2009 and in the United States in September 2010. It replaced the Chevrolet Cobalt in the U.S. market and other models overseas. GM has said its Cruze small car was on track to exceed 50,000 U.S. sales in the first quarter. More than 100,000 Cruzes have been built since the start of production in the United States, GM said
JANUARY 2011 - General Motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Colorado, Express, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; and GMC Canyon, Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles. The rear axle cross pins were not properly heat treated and could fracture and become displaced within the rear axle. Should the pin shift out of position, it could create an interference condition and cause the rear axle to lock. The driver may not be able to maintain directional control ofthe vehicle and a crash could occur without warning. Dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin free ofcharge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2011. 11V-007 DECEMBER 2010 - General Motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The driver and /or front passenger safety belt buckle anchor may fracture and separate near the seat attachment in a vehicle crash. The safety belt system may not restrain the occupant(s) as designed and could increase the risk of injury. Dealers will modify the passenger and/or the driver safety belt buckles as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before January 18, 2011. 10V-623 DECEMBER 2010 - General Motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado LD and GMC Sierra LD vehicles. The rear axle cross pins were not properly heat treated and could fracture and become displaced within the rear axle. Should the pin shift out of position, it could create an interference condition and cause the rear axle to lock. The driver may not be able to maintain directional control of the vehicle and a crash could occur without warning. Dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during January 2011. 10V-643 NEWS: GM expands recall of some 2011 trucks and SUVs YAHOO NEWS -- January 15, 2011 – General Motors is expanding an earlier recall of some 2011 model-year trucks and SUVs to fix a problem that could cause the vehicles' rear axles to lock. The recall, originally announced in December, now covers 26,751 Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC trucks and SUVs. The models affected are: Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Cadillac EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Colorado, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; and GMC Canyon, Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL. GM said rear-axle cross pins, used to hold the axle in place, weren't properly heat-treated and may not be durable. They can fracture, interfere with the axle and cause it to lock. The driver could then lose control of the vehicle. One customer has reported a loss of power to the axle, GM says. But no crashes have been reported. GM says owners of the vehicles are being contacted and urged against driving the trucks until the axle pin is replaced. The December recall for this same issue covered 1,262 trucks and SUVs. But the company has since discovered that more vehicles were built with the faulty axle pin. In addition, the earlier recall didn't include the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize trucks. A GM spokesman said Saturday that the company is confident all the faulty parts have now been discovered MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: GM recalls almost 100,000 vehicles due to 2 issues YAHOO NEWS -- December 23, 2010 – General Motors Co. is recalling almost 100,000 vehicles to fix two problems that could cause the rear axle to lock and the passenger-side airbag not to work. GM says in postings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the airbag recall affects almost 96,000 2005 to 2007 model year versions of the Cadillac CTS. The axle recall affects almost 1,300 2011 model year versions of the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 and Silverado 1500, as well as the GMC Sierra 1500. The axle recall is expected to begin in January. GM did not say when the airbag recall would begin. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: GM recalling 100,000 crossovers to fix seat belts YAHOO NEWS -- December 17, 2010 – General Motors Co. is recalling about 100,000 crossover vehicles to fix seat belts that could fail in a crash. GM said Friday in a posting with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the recall involves 2011 model year versions of the Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain. The automaker said the seat belt buckle anchor for the driver and front passenger seats could break apart in a crash. GM spokesman ...said there have been no crashes or injuries reported. GM said it discovered the problem during testing in September. Dealers will modify the seat belt buckles free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in mid-January. MORE RECALL INFO: NOVEMBER 2010 -- GM is recalling certain model year 2004-2011, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, model year 2006, Isuzu I-280/I-350, and model year 2007-2008, I-290/I-370, regular cab vehicles and extended cab vehicles without a rear seat and equipped with a front 60/40 split bench seat. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems." The top tether anchor for the front center seat is not accessible and the owner manual does not include instructions regarding how to use the top tether. Lack of access to the top tether anchor and a lack of instructions as to how to use it, may result in improper installation of a child restraint. Improper installation of a child restraint can result in a reduction in the restraint's performance in the event of a crash and an increased risk of injury or death to the child seated in the restraint. Dealers will cut a hole into the back panel trim cover to allow access to the top tether anchor for the front center seat position and will provide supplemental information as to use in the owner's manual. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. 10V-575 NEWS: GM, Isuzu recall pickups for child seat problem YAHOO NEWS -- November 24, 2010 – More than 192,000 General Motors and Isuzu midsize pickup trucks are being recalled because of a problem with the system that anchors child safety seats, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday. The recall affects Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon models from the 2004 to 2011 model years. Also affected are Isuzu I-280 and I-350 pickups from 2006 and I-290 and I-370 models from 2007 and 2008. The Isuzus were built by GM at its factory in Shreveport, Louisiana. NHTSA said on its website that the trucks all have bench front seats and no rear seats. Owners can't get to the top child seat anchor for the center of the front seat, and the owner's manual has no instructions on how to use the top anchor, NHTSA said. No accidents or injuries have been reported, GM spokesman said. Both NHTSA and GM discourage people from using child seats in the front seats of vehicles. "We don't want anybody to put it there anyway because it's not safe," GM spokesman said. The repairs are being made because there could be circumstances that require putting a child in a safety seat in the front-center seating position, since the trucks have no rear seats, NHTSA said. The affected models could be regular cab or extended cab vehicles. The lack of access to the top tether anchor and lack of instructions could result in the seat being improperly installed, increasing the risk of injury or death in a crash, NHTSA said. The automakers do not yet have a schedule for notifying owners of the problem, NHTSA said. Dealers will cut a hole in the back panel to open access to the anchor, and the automakers will give owners information on how to properly secure the seats. MORE RECALL INFO:
OCTOBER 2010 -- GM is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impalas for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages." The front safety belt webbing may not have been properly secured to the lap belt anchor pretensioner mounted to the side of the seat nearest the door. The safety belt may not restrain the occupant as intended during a crash, which could result in injury to the occupant. Dealers will inspect both front safety belts for proper installation of the anchors to the pretensioners and, if necessary, reinstall the anchors. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on October 26, 2010. 10V-480 NEWS: GM recalls 300,000 Impalas over seat belt problem YAHOO NEWS -- October 15, 2010 – General Motors is recalling more than 300,000 Chevrolet Impala sedans because the seat belts may fail to restrain people in the front seats during a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says on its website that the front-seat belt webbing may not be secured properly to a lap belt anchor on the side of the seat near the doors. The recall affects Impalas from the 2009 and 2010 model years. Dealers will inspect how the belts are anchored. The will reinstall the anchors if needed at no cost to the owners. MORE RECALL INFO: Chevrolet Impala AUGUST 2010 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Saturn OUTLOOK vehicles. The second row seat side trim shield restricts the upward rotation of the safety belt buckle when the seat back is returned to a seating position after being folded flat. If the buckle contacts the seat frame, additional effort is required to return the seat to a seatingposition. If sufficient force is applied, the buckle cover could be pushed down the strap, exposing and partially depressing the red release button. The safety belt may not restrain the occupant as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant. Dealers will modify the second row seat side trim shields. If a safety belt buckle is damaged, dealers will replace it free of charge. The safety recall began on August 18, 2010. GM's recall No. N100243. 10V-375 NEWS: GM recalls 250K vehicles; seat belts may not latch YAHOO NEWS -- August 17, 2010 – General Motors is recalling nearly 250,000 crossover vehicles worldwide to inspect second-row seat belts that could be damaged and not latch. GM says the recall affects 2009-2010 models of the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook. Most of the recalled vehicles are in the United States but some are also in Canada, Mexico and elsewhere. GM says the seat belt buckle could be damaged when the seat back is returned to an upright position. That could make the buckle appear to latch when it isn't. The automaker says it does not know of any cases where the second-row seat belts failed to perform properly in a crash. MORE RECALL INFO JUNE 2010 -- GM is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Buick, Lucerne; Cadillac DTS; Hummer H2; Model Year 2008-2009 Buick Enclave; Cadillac CTS; Model Year 2007-2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon Xl; Saturn Outlook; and Model Year 2009 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles equipped with a heated washer fluid system (HWFS). A recall was implemented in 2008 to add a fuse to the control circuit harness to address the potential consequences of a printed circuit board (PCB) electrical short. However, there have been new reports of thermal incidents on HWFS modules after this improvement was installed. These incidents resulted from a new failure mode attributed to the device's thermal protection feature. The significance varies from minor distortion to considerable melting of the plastic around the HWFS fluid chamber. It is possible for the heated washer module to ignite and a fire may occur. Dealers will permanently disable and remove the heated washer fluid module. An updated page for the owner manual will be provided and inserted in the owner manual to document that the feature has been permanently disabled and removed from the vehicle. The safety recall began on June 11, 2010. 10V-240 NEWS: GM recalling 1.5M vehicles over fire concerns YAHOO NEWS – June 8, 2010 – General Motors Co. said Tuesday it was recalling about 1.5 million vehicles worldwide to address a problem with a heated windshield wiper fluid system that could lead to a fire, its second recall over the issue in two years. The recall affects several pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, crossovers and passenger car models from the 2006 to 2009 model years. GM conducted a similar recall in 2008 but came across new reports of fires in vehicles that had been fixed. GM said it would disable the heated washer fluid system module that could lead to fires. The Detroit automaker will pay owners and those leasing vehicles $100 each since the feature is being disabled. GM said it was aware of five fires but there had been no injuries or crashes reported. Nearly 1.4 million vehicles are in the U.S. and more than 100,000 vehicles are in Canada, Mexico and other international markets. "While our analysis shows the number of incidents is very small compared with the number of vehicles on the road, we want our customers to have complete peace of mind," said Jeff Boyer, GM's executive director of safety. The recall covers the 2006-2009 model year Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS, and Hummer H2; 2008-2009 Buick Enclave and Cadillac CTS; 2007-2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV and Escalade EXT; 2007-2009 Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban and Tahoe; 2007-2009 GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL; 2007-2009 Saturn Outlook; and 2009 Chevrolet Traverse. The auto company said customers will begin to receive recall letters later this month but can contact their dealer to make an appointment to have the heated washer system removed. Dealers will remove the heated washer fluid module and reroute washer fluid hoses. GM said the technology was available from only one supplier, Microheat Inc., of Farmington Hills, Mich., which went out of business, preventing GM from working with another supplier on an improved design. GM recalled more than 900,000 vehicles because of the heated washer fluid system in August 2008 because a short circuit on the circuit board could overheat the ground wire. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had opened an investigation in February 2008 into 2007 Yukon and Tahoe vehicles over potential engine compartment fires. The government closed its investigation after the 2008 recall but GM later came across fires in vehicles that had been fixed under the previous recall, prompting the latest safety action. MORE RECALL INFO
APRIL 2010 -- General Motors has notified NHTSA of a defect in certain model year 2010 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans 2500, 3500 and 4500 series. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the generator may develop a low resistance short within the voltage regulator. The low resistance short could eventually generate enough heat to result in an engine compartment fire. Dealers will inspect and replace any suspect generators if necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on April 12, 2010. 10V-138 APRIL 2010 -- GM is recalling certain model year 2005 and 2006 Chevrolet Corvette passenger cars manufactured between March 2004 and January 2006 equipped with a tilt and telescoping steering column (RPO N37). In rare cases, repeated movement of the steering column may cause a signal interruption within the column. If this occurs, the message, "service active handling system" will appear in the driver information center, and one or more of the brakes may apply, possibly causing the vehicle to pull to the right or left. If the driver does not respond to the change in vehicle movement, a crash could occur. GM will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on April 30, 2010. GM's recall campaign number is N100118. 10V-172 MARCH 2010 - General Motors is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and model year 2007-2010 Pontiac G5 vehicles equipped with electric power steering. The driver may experience a sudden loss ofpower steering assist that could occur at any time while driving. If power steering assist is lost, it would require greater driver effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the electric power steering motor free of charge. The safety recall began on March 29, 2010. 10V-073 MARCH 2010 - General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles for failing to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 103, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems." These vehicles were built with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control knobs that may fracture and spin on the control shaft. The driver may no longer be able to control the heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle. If this condition affects the defrost system when it is required, it may decrease the driver's visibility, and could possibly result in a crash. Dealers will replace all HVAC control knobs free of charge. The safety recall began on March 11, 2010. 10V-096 NEWS: GM to recall 1.3M compacts for steering problem GOOGLE NEWS -- March 1, 2010 – General Motors Co. said Monday it will recall 1.3 million Chevrolet and Pontiac compact cars sold in the U.S., Canada and Mexico to fix power steering motors that can fail. The recall affects 2005 to 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts, 2007 to 2010 Pontiac G5s, 2005 and 2006 Pontiac Pursuits sold in Canada and 2005 and 2006 Pontiac G4s sold in Mexico. The automaker said the vehicles are still safe to drive and never lose their steering, but it may be harder to steer them when traveling under 15 mph. GM spokesman Alan Adler said it will take time for the automaker to get 1.3 million new power steering motors from the supplier, JTEKT Corp., and GM will notify car owners when the parts are available. Adler said the failures are rare and the cars can still be driven until motors can be replaced by dealers. Drivers will see a warning light and hear a chime if the power steering fails, but they could be surprised when the steering becomes more difficult. GM told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the recall on Monday. NHTSA began an investigation into 905,000 of the models on Jan. 27 after getting 1,100 complaints that the cars lost their power steering assist. The complaints included 14 crashes and one injury. The automaker will fix older models first because it usually takes 20,000 to 30,000 miles of driving for the condition to develop, Adler said. GM also will have to repair thousands of vehicles on dealer lots before they can be sold, he said. "Recalling these vehicles is the right thing to do for our customers' peace of mind," J........GM's vice president of quality, said in a statement. Adler said if the power steering assist fails, it usually comes back for a time after the car is shut off and restarted. MORE RECALL INFO: Chevy Cobalt Pontiac G5 NEWS: GM issues recalls for Corvette, Equinox, GMC Terrain DetNews.com -- December 29, 20009 - General Motors Co. said Monday it is recalling 22,000 Chevrolet Corvettes over concerns that the roof may fly off the vehicle -- after a 2006 recall didn't fix the problem. The new recall applies to 2005-07 model year Corvettes and Corvette Z06 models. GM told the National Highway Traffic Safety administration that the adhesive between the roof panel and frame may separate. GM will install a redesigned roof panel as a result. "If there is a partial separation, the driver may notice one or more symptoms, such as a snapping noise when driving over bumps, wind noise, poor roof panel fit, roof panel movement/bounce when a door or hatch is closed, or a water leak," GM said. This is the second attempt by GM to fix the problem. In May 2006, GM told NHTSA that it was recalling 30,793 2005-06 Corvettes over concerns that the vehicles, "primarily in hot and humid climates, have a condition in which the adhesive between the roof panel and the frame may separate." GM said the problem was due to inadequate bonding strength, following reports of at least 11 roof separations. GM's 2006 fix was to insert adhesive foam -- and, if necessary, replacement of the roof. In March, an inquiry from Japan's Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport about a Corvette roof that was repaired after the 2006 recall prompted GM to look at its U.S. warranty claims data for Corvettes. As a result, GM found 108 claims of roof separation after the foam was added in the attempt to fix the problem. GM spokesman said there are no reports of injuries as a result. Now, GM will replace the roofs. The automaker will begin notifying owners in January and will reimburse motorists who have already gotten their roofs repaired or replaced. MORE RECALL INFO: Chevrolet Corvette Separately, GM issued another recall Monday for 59,000 2010 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles over concerns that the software in the center instrument panel could cause the heating, air conditioning, defrost and radio controls as well as the panel illumination to stop working. GM said the computer module will be replaced and the software "reflashed." NHTSA said drivers could risk accidents if they drove without working defrost systems, but GM said there are no reports of injuries. MORE RECALL INFO: Chevrolet Equinox GMC Terrain DECEMBER 2009 - General Motors is recalling certain model year 2010 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems and with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 101, Controls and Displays". The software in the center instrument panel can cause the heating, air conditioning, defrost, and radio controls, as well as the panel illumination to become inoperative. Driving without a functioning defrost system can decrease your visibility under certain driving conditions and could result in a crash without warning. Dealers will replace the computer module in the center instrument panel free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during January 2010. . 09V-489 OCTOBER 2009 -- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2006 Chevrolet cobalt and Saturn Ion vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Arizona and Nevada; and model year 2007 Chevrolet cobalt, Pontiac G5 and Saturn ion vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada and Texas. The plastic supply or return port on the modular reservoir assembly may crack. If either of these ports develops a crack, fuel will leak from the area. If the crack becomes large enough, fuel may be observed dripping onto the ground and vehicle performance may be affected. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Dealers will replace the fuel pump module free of charge. A special coverage will be implemented in the same time frame for model year 2006 vehicles registered in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas and model year 2007 vehicles registered in: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, north Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule. 09V-419 JULY 2009 -- GM is recalling 1,880 model year 2007 Chevrolet Kodiak and T-series, GMC Topkick and T-series, Isuzu Fseries and H-series passenger vehicles equipped with 7.8l diesel engine. The air compressor in some of these vehicles may not build enough air pressure to support the air brake system. If this condition were to occur while the vehicles was stationary (brakes applied), the air brakes would remain applied and prevent the vehicle from moving. If the driver ignores these warnings and continues to drive the vehicle, and if there was a continued loss of pressure, the rear spring parking brakes would automatically apply, preventing the truck from being driven. Dealers will inspect the air compressor for its ability to build air pressure, and either modify the air compressor by elimination of the suppression valve or replace the air compressor assembly free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during August 2009. 09V-309 MAY 2009 -- GM is recalling 15,393 MY 2009 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 135, "Passenger Car Brake Systems." These vehicles may have a park brake cable link (connector) that is not to specification. This connector may fracture when the park brake pedal is depressed. If the transmission shift lever is in the park position, there will be no unintended vehicle movement. However, if the keys are left in the ignition, the transmission shift lever is in any position other than park, and the vehicle is parked on a sufficient slope, it could result in unintended vehicle movement. This could result in a crash without prior warning. Dealers are to replace the park brake cable link (connector) free of charge. GM anticipates that the dealer bulletin will be sent May 5, 2009 and owner letters will be mailed in June 2009. 09V-153 MAY 2009 -- GM is recalling 27,188 MY 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade Hybrid, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Suburban, Tahoe, Tahoe Hybrid, and Colorado; and GMC Yukon, Yukon Hybrid, Yukon XL, and Canyon vehicles. The fuel system control modules may have a condition in which an adhesive separation of the room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) seal between the seal and the housing may allow water to seep into the module. Water in the module could cause a short or open circuit, illumination of the service engine soon lamp, setting of diagnostic trouble codes or the engine may be hard to start, may not start or may stall increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will install a new fuel system control module free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2009. 09V-154 MAY 2009 -- GM is recalling 1,243 MY 2010 Chevrolet Camaro equipped with a V8 engine. The positive battery cable may contact the starter motor housing and cause wear on the cable insulation. If the insulation wears through to the cable, it could create a short. A short could result in a no start condition, cause the vehicle to stall without the ability to restart, or result in an engine compartment fire. Dealers will reroute the positive battery cable to ensure adequate clearance. The recall began on May 6, 2009.. 09V-155 APRIL 2009 -- General Motors is recalling 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 Buick Regal, MY 1998-2003 Chevrolet Lumina, Monte Carlo and Impala, MY 1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue, MY 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8L V6 naturally aspirated engine. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking. If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire. Dealers will remove the spark plug wire retention channel at the front of engine and install two new spark plug wire retainers free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during May 2009 09V-116 MARCH 2009 -- General Motors is recalling 276,729 MY 2009 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Cobalt, HHR, Malibu, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Pontiac G5, G6 and Saturn Aura and Outlook passenger vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standard 102, "Transmission Shift Position Sequence, Starter Interlock, And Transmission Braking Effect", and FMVSS 114, "Theft Protection and RollawayPrevention". On some of these vehicles, the transmission shift cable adjustment clip may not be fullyengaged. If the clip is not fully engaged, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. With this condition, the drive could move the shifter to "park" and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in "park". The driver may not be able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning. Dealers will inspect and ensure that the shift cable adjustment clip is fully engaged. In theevent that the clip does not engage, the shift cable will be replaced free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or before March 24, 2009. 09V-073 NEWS: GM recalling vehicles to fix shift lever problem WASHINGTON (AP) — General Motors Corp. is recalling about 277,000 vehicles because of a potential defect in the shift lever that could cause a vehicle to roll away. GM says the recall involves 2009 model year versions of the Buick Enclave; Chevrolet Cobalt, HHR, Malibu and Traverse; GMC Acadia; Pontiac G5 and G6; and the Saturn Aura and Outlook. A GM spokeswoman says about 75,000 vehicles have been purchased. The rest are at dealerships. No crashes or injuries have been reported. In some cases, the shift lever and the transmission gear's position may not match, meaning a driver could move the shifter to the park position but the transmission gear may not be in park. A vehicle could roll away and crash or have problems restarting MORE RECALL INFORMATION
DECEMBER 2008 -- GM is recalling 77 MY 2009 Chevrolet Malibu hybrid vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging System.” The heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system may become inoperative. If this were to occur, the blower would not function properly and the mode selector would remain in the last known setting. If the windshield began to fog or frost, there may not be enough airflow to clear the windshield, resulting in reduced driver visibility and a possible crash without prior warning. Dealers will reprogram the HVAC control head module. The recall began on December 17, 2008. 08V634 NOVEMBER 2008 -- GM is recalling 16,667 MY 2009 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook vehicles for failing to conform with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 209, 'Seat Belt Assemblies.' These vehicles may have been built with a safety belt buckle in the second or third row that is missing a rivet. In a vehicle crash, if the rivet is missing, the buckle may separate from the mounting strap, increasing the risk of injury to the passenger. Dealers will inspect the safety belt buckles in the second and third rows, and replace them if necessary. The recall began on November 26, 2008. 08V615 OCTOBER 2008 -- GM is recalling 79 MY 2009 Chevrolet Impala vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a passenger-side front air bag inflator that could fracture at an inflator tube during a deployment. During a passenger-side air bag deployment, pieces of the inflator tube could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the passenger. Dealers will install a new passenger-side front air bag. The recall began on October 10, 2008. 08V517 SEPTEMBER 2008 -- GM is recalling 296,422 MY 2006-2008 Chevrolet HHR vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 201, 'Occupant Protection in Interior Impact." The door on the storage bin in the top center of the instrument panel failed to remain closed as required. This standard specifies performance requirements to provide head impact protection for occupants. A redesigned latch will be made available. The recall is expected to begin during November 2008. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or MyGMLink at http://www.GM.com/recall. This recall was the subject of an investigation conducted by the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance. 08V444 AUGUST 2008 -- GM is recalling 857,735 MY 2006-2008 Buick Lucerne; Cadillac DTS; Hummer H2; MY 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL, Saturn Outlook; and MY 2008 Buick Enclave vehicles equipped with a heated wiper washer fluid system. A short circuit on the printed circuit board for the washer fluid heater may overheat the control-circuit ground wire. This may cause other electrical features to malfunction, create an odor, or cause smoke increasing the risk of a fire. Dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule. 08V441 JULY 2008 -- GM is recalling 151 MY 2008 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles equipped with all wheel drive (AWD). Some of these vehicles have transfer cases that were manufactured with an incorrect part that can cause early failure of a drive chain. If the chain breaks, shifting the transmission to park may not keep the vehicle stationary. If the vehicle is parked on an incline or bumped, it may roll and strike a person, object, or another vehicle without warning, and cause personal injury. Dealers will inspect the transfer case date code and, if necessary, replace the transfer case. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. 08V340 JULY 2008 -- GM is recalling 2,481 MY 2008 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana cutaway fleet vans equipped with a 6.0l (RPO LY6) V8 engine, 4l80E (RPO MT) transmission, 4.10 (RPO GT5) axle and 75 mph governor (RPO 9D7). These vehicles have a condition in which the transmission may be damaged due to first gear engagement at highway speeds and then does not transmit power with ‘D4’ or ‘R’ selected. This may be preceded by engine shutdown if the vehicle exceeds 81 miles per hour in certain conditions. The vehicle may be stranded on or near a highway, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will reprogram the transmission and engine control modules. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. 08V313 JULY 2008 -- GM is recalling 567 MY 2008 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana cutaway vehicles with a 139" wheel base. The frame rail on the driver's side may be wider than specifications. If the frame rail is wider, over time it may contact the fuel tank housing, resulting in a possible fuel leak. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Dealers will inspect the clearance between the frame rail and fuel tank housing and will rework the frame rail if necessary. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. 08V315 FEBRUARY 2008 -- GM is recalling 181,516 MY 2006-2008 Chevrolet HHR vehicles not equipped with optional roof rail air bags for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 201, 'Occupant Protection in Interior Impact.' In tests, one of the upper interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard's requirement. This standard specifies performance requirements to provide head impact protection for occupants. Dealers will install an energy-absorbing plastic piece to the headliner trim. The recall is expected to begin during March 2008. This recall was the subject of an investigation, OA-201-060918B, conducted by the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance. 08V046 NOVEMBER 2007 -- GM is recalling 11,975 MY 2001 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks equipped with an 8.1L V8 engine. The crankshaft position can operate intermittently or fail completely. If the sensor operates intermittently, the SES light may illuminate and the vehicle may run rough. The engine may stall, and if so, may re-start immediately or after a cool down period. If the sensor becomes completely inoperative, the engine will quit running and will not re-start. Either of these failures can increase the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the crankshaft position sensor. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. This recall was the subject of an Engineering Analysis, EA06-016, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 07V521 OCTOBER 2007 -- GM is recalling 57,100 MY 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent passenger vehicles not equipped with optional roof rail airbags or optional sunroof. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact." During NHTSA impact tests, the interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard requirements. The results of this test indicated a possibility of an increased risk of head injury in a crash. Dealers will install an energy absorbing foam piece to each of the a-pillar trim assemblies. The recall is expected to begin during January 2008. 07V520August 2007 -- GM is recalling 437 MY 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent sport utility vehicles for failing to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." In these vehicles, the right front passenger seat is built with a passenger sensing system. When tested with a representative unrestrained small adult, the system is required to turn the right front passenger's frontal airbag on. An error in the seat sensor calibration can cause it to fail this test. In addition, this condition can prevent the airbag from turning off when the seat is occupied by a small child. Whenever the front passenger seat is occupied, the driver should always check the airbag indicator to see if the airbag is on or off. If it is not correct for the situation, the passenger should be moved to a different seat. This can increase the risk of injury to a seat occupant during certain crash conditions. Dealers will reprogram the seat's electronic control unit. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. 07V-344 August 2007 -- GM is recalling 10,113 MY 2007 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna vans for failing to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." When the brakes are applied, the stop lamps will illuminate. When the brake pedal is released, the stop lamps are no longer illuminated but the rear brakes may still be applied. The brake may release after a few seconds or after the next firm brake pedal application. If the rear brakes are still applied after release of the brake pedal, the driver may notice a substantial drag when driving and may need to depress the gas pedal further than usual to continue vehicle movement. A vehicle driven with the brakes applied can cause overheating of the brakes, resulting in increased stopping distance which could result in a crash. Dealers will reprogram the anti-lock brake system module. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. 07V-342 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.
The fluid heating system is a popular option on many of GM's large cars and SUVs, said Wilkinson. MORE RECALL INFORMATION:
NEWS: NHTSA Investigates 2.7 Million GM Trucks, SUVs 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 "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:
NEWS: Feds Step Up Probe of Chevy Aveo Stuck Throttle 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. More Recall Information: GMC Yukon - Chevy Tahoe NEWS: GM recalls pickups, SUVs Detroit Free Press -- November 20, 2007 -- General Motors Corp. recalled 69,000 Chevrolet, GMC and Pontiac pickups and SUVs and more than 20,000 Saturn cars for repairs including adding interior safety foam and fixing a timing chain. The recall by the world's largest automaker covers 57,100 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent SUVs from the 2007 model year, and 11,974 2001-model Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks and 20,514 Saturn L-Series cars, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on its Web site. NEWS: GM Recalls 30,000-Plus SUVs, Vans Bloomberg News -- Aug 11, 2007 --- General Motors has recalled 20,594 sport-utility vehicles and minivans from 2001 to 2004 to replace fuel tanks that may leak and cause fire. The recall includes some 2002 to 2004 Chevrolet Venture vans and Buick Rendezvous SUVs, and 2001 to 2004 Pontiac Aztek SUVs and Pontiac Montana vans, the company told the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A tank valve can fracture because of manufacturing variations or high temperatures, allowing fuel to leak, the agency said. The tanks will be replaced free, GM said. No related injuries or accidents have been reported. GM also recalled 10,113 of its 2007 Chevrolet Express 1500 and GMC Savana 1500 large vans to reprogram an antilock brake part. The rear brake may stay engaged when the brake pedal isn't pressed, and the brake lights may not illuminate, the NHTSA said. Vehicles built in April and May of this year are affected. They are under warranty, GM said. There have been no injuries or accidents related to the brake part. |
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