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: 

• Chevrolet Colorado:  2004-2011
• GMC Canyon:  2004-2011
• Isuzu I-280:  2006
• Isuzu I-350:  2006
• Isuzu I-290:  2007, 2008
• Isuzu I-370:  2007, 2008

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

JULY 2009 -- GM is recalling 185,903 model year 2004-2009 Colorado, GMC model year 2009-2004 Canyon, model year 2006 I-280, I-350, model year 2007-2008 I-290, and I-370, passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands and Utah. Some of these vehicles have a brake lamp switch that may not work as designed due to contamination in the switch.  This condition could cause the simultaneous loss of all brake lamps or cause all of the brake lamps to stay on continuously. Both of these conditions could fail to warn others of the driver's intentions and could lead to a vehicle crash. Dealers will inspect and replace the necessary components as specified in the recall bulletin free ofcharge. Gm anticipates that parts will be available by February 2010. A special coverage for vehicles registered in all other states will be implemented in the same time frame. In the interim, owners who experience the failure can obtain a free repair, however they will be required to return when the new design part becomes available.  09V-310